The Sunday Age reported that a warning was issued by a church insurer to the nation's bishops as early as 1988.

This was more than seven years before the Melbourne Response and Towards Healing protocols for victims were set up.

The Sunday Age investigation was based on internal Church documents.

A proposal for a dedicated abuse victim compensation scheme was made by Catholic Church Insurance Limited in 1990.

CCI set some money aside itself as Australia's bishops debated a course of action.

The bishops ultimately approved the creation of a "special issues" insurance policy and compensation pool in 1991.

The allowed for cover increased from A$5million to $A15million in two years after that.

CCI then issued the Church with a special one year policy that increased coverage to $A25 million, but excluded payments for abuse prior to 1976.

The Church would have to pay directly for claims from before this date.

CCI was experiencing problems in the early 1990s having its insurance exposure to sexual abuse claims underwritten by reinsurance operators.

According to The Sunday Age, the move also came despite the Church's hierarchy continuing to publicly downplay allegations in the early 1990s that the Church was facing a massive sexual abuse scandal.

An internal Church document noted that a "significant number" of claims for damages for sexual abuse had already been received in the early 1990s.

Last year, Cardinal George Pell testified before a royal commission that he was aware of "dozens of complaints" when the Melbourne Response was created in 1996.

Catholic Church authorities have paid more than A$43 million to victims in total since 1997, it is estimated.

The Sunday Age understands CCI has earmarked up to another A$150 million to potentially settle all outstanding and anticipated sexual abuse claims.

Sources

• The Sunday Age
• 9 News
• Image: News.com.au

On February 11, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released reports on the John Ellis case and on the Church's Towards Healing protocol.

The four cases dealt with in the reports were the subjects of public hearings last year.

Cardinal George Pell and Sydney archdiocese were found to have fought a legal claim against a victim, John Ellis, to discourage others from attempting the same.

Mr Ellis was put through "distressing and unnecessary cross-examination" and threatened him with legal costs.

In 2007, Mr Ellis lost on a technicality in the Court of Appeal, which ruled the Church could not be sued.

The commission's report outlined how the Church initially acknowledged Mr Ellis had been abused, but went on to "vigorously defend" itself.

This included denying the abuse had occurred.

The Church also failed to disclose that a witness to Mr Ellis' abuse and another victim of the same abusive priest had come forward during the litigation process.

The report found that the Archdiocese of Sydney "fundamentally failed" Mr Ellis by not complying with its own policies on sexual abuse claims under Towards Healing.

The commission agreed with Cardinal Pell's admission in evidence that "the archdiocese, the trustees and he as archbishop, did not act fairly from a Christian point of view in the conduct of the litigation against Mr Ellis".

The Church was also found to be unfair, mean and in breach of its own protocols in other cases.

Actions included placing a gag order on a victim as part of a compensation deal, denying and covering up evidence, and a conflict of interest by Church personnel.

The royal commission's report into Towards Healing found a raft of "systemic issues".

It said it was "surprised" by the Church's submission which posited the Towards Healing protocol was a position statement and the suggestion of "possible steps" in a "flexible" process.

This served to excuse or justify departures from the protocol, the report stated.

Sources

• The Guardian
• ABC
• Sydney Morning Herald
• Image: The Standard

"Time is up, the Church has had more than a fair chance. The Melbourne Response and Towards Healing have lost all credibility and are beyond repair," said Father Kevin Dillon.

He said the Church response to abuse had been heartless, adversarial, and showed "a culture of denial" about the impact on victims.

Father Dillon, parish priest of St Mary of the Angels parish, Geelong, was appearing at a sitting of the inquiry in Geelong. His testimony drew a standing ovation from an audience of about 100 people.

A campaigner within the Church on behalf of victims, Father Dillon said he had consistent contact with 30 victims.

"Sadly but importantly, I have yet to hear one victim speak positively of their experience with either Church process" (Melbourne or national), he said.

Father Dillon said the Church should be forced to set up a pastoral fund for victims, administered by an independent committee. A compulsory contribution from each parish of $20 to $50 a week for two years would raise up to $400,000.

"We can run raffles. We Catholics are pretty good at raising money," he said. Asked by an inquiry member whether the Church would pay, Father Dillon replied it should not be given a choice.

He said he suggested the idea to several diocesan leaders but was ignored.

Father Dillon criticised Church leadership for "not once" contacting former victims to see how they were getting on, and advocated a support group similar to Alcoholics Anonymous.

He criticised a speech by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney in 2011, in which the cardinal said the Church realised in 1996 it would have to act or "the scandals will bleed us dry".

Father Dillon asked, "Does that mean it really is all about the money?"

He said the Church had focused on denial and protection of material assets rather than protection of human assets.

Sources:

The Age

Geelong Advertiser

Image: Geelong Advertiser