Thursday, 3 April 2025

Western Victoria Region

Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (12:48): (1531) My question is for the Attorney-General. Recently the High Court ruled in favour of the Ballarat diocese of the Catholic Church in the case of Bird v. DP, upholding the diocese’s claim that clergy members are not employees of the church. The ruling overturns contrary decisions of lower courts and denies thousands of survivors of child abuse justice. In the case of Bird v. DP there was no question as to whether DP had been abused. This was an accepted fact. The question, however, was whether he should receive redress for the toll this has taken on his life, and devastatingly the answer is now no. If justice is to be afforded to these victim-survivors, it is now up to the states to reverse the precedent set by this High Court decision. Will the minister ensure that victims of abuse in the Ballarat diocese are afforded justice and expanded vicarious liability provisions to ensure that the Ballarat diocese can be held accountable for the actions of its clergy?