Queensland’s Labor opposition will introduce a private member’s bill to parliament seeking to close a “loophole” and expand the liability of churches, sporting groups and other organisations to include the actions of paedophiles. Source: ABC News.
In 2024, a High Court decision found the Catholic Church was not vicariously liable for the actions of a paedophile priest because he was not an “employee”. His work arrangements were only similar to employment.
Since that decision, the ACT and Victoria have passed legislation to expand the liability of churches, sporting groups and other organisations to include the actions of paedophiles.
Legislation has also been introduced in Western Australia, but has been delayed after upper house MPs could not agree on how far the law should reach.
Shadow attorney-general Meaghan Scanlon said the Queensland Government needed to “stand with victims”.
“It’s been over a year since this High Court decision and yet the Crisafulli Government has failed to do anything,” she said.
Ms Scanlon said Queensland survivors “deserve their day in court”.
“Their trauma isn’t different depending on whether the offender was an employee or a priest or a volunteer,” she said. “Their pain is the same, and that institution who put that person in power should be held to account.
Premier David Crisafulli said a recent High Court ruling “might very well close that loophole”.
“Right across the board, people have said it needs to be cleared up at a federal level.”
FULL STORY
Institutional abuse victims call for closure of legal ‘loophole’ in Queensland (By Stephen Clarke, ABC News)
