The Victorian State Parliament set up its own enquiry into child sexual abuse before the Royal Commission was announced. It has held hearings and accepted many submissions from victims, advocates, and affected organisations but has been limited to events in Victoria. Its findings will be available, in general, to the Federal enquiry.

Some future postings will be devoted to this Victorian enquiry. Mostly, the point is that it gives an insight into what is likely to arise in the Royal Commission and telegraphs some of the tactics likely to be adopted by the religious organisations and their representatives.

Because the Prime Minister and Opposition leader have just made a formal apology for the forced adoption policy, and the author had a tangential experience of the system as a boy, tomorrow’s posting will address this issue. The direct relevance occurs because it further demonstrates just how unprincipled the State and churches had become in Australia by the second half of the twentieth century. It is also meant as a tribute to the many people who have fought to bring the matter to public attention.

TOMORROW: Forced adoptions

That’s all I can say

Lewis Blayse (né Lewin Blazevich)