A new episode of COVID Affairs has been released. It delves into legislation that is before the WA state parliament around mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse and the responses from public figures.
Introduced last year, The Children and Community Services Amendment Bill includes clauses which would require ministers of religion to report child sexual abuse even if it were disclosed during religious confession.
This has stirred up fierce debate, as in the case of the Catholic tradition, the law would require priests to break the seal of confession.
Listen to the full episode below:
Further Reading
Mandatory reporting legislation to be extended to ministers of religion
Archbishop Media Statement – Confessional Seal
Pastoral Letter from the Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB
Inquiry into the Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019
Children and Community Services Amendment Bill 2019
CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AMENDMENT BILL 2019 EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
