13 - 19 November 2012 – Issue: 438
HAUNTING HATPIN
Aussie musical’s emotive UK debut
THE WONDER OF WHITE
MASTERS Tennis
Your chance to catch the action
Christmas in a winter wonderland
ENTERTAINMENT P5
SPORT P11
TRAVEL P7
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PM ORDERS INQUIRY INTO CHILD ABUSE
Abbott’s rating sinks to new low FEDERAL Labor is continuing to chip away at the coalition’s election winning lead, as Tony Abbott’s personal approval rating declines to its lowest level since he became opposition leader. The latest Essential Research online poll released on Monday showed two-party support for Labor rose to 48 per cent, from 47 per cent a week earlier, while the coalition edged down to 52 per cent, from 53 per cent. Over the month, support for Julia Gillard as preferred prime minister rose to 45 per cent, from 43 per cent, while Mr Abbott dropped to 32 per cent, from 36 per cent. Ms Gillard’s approval rating as Labor leader was steady at 41 per cent, while her disapproval rating showed a modest improvement to 49 per cent from 51 per cent. Overall, her approval rating of minus eight was her best since May 2011. In contrast, Mr Abbott’s approval rating fell to 33 per cent, from 37 per cent, while his disapproval rating rose to 58 per cent, from 54 per cent. His net approval rating of minus 25 was the worst since he replaced Malcolm Turnbull as opposition
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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a Royal Commission to be appointed to investigate decades of child abuse in churches, schools and foster homes. A royal commission to investigate the responses of religious, state and community groups to acts and allegations of child sexual abuse will be appointed by the end of the year. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Monday she would ask Governor-General Quentin Bryce to set up the inquiry, which would have no deadline and could run for years, amid calls for a national response by federal Labor, independent and Greens MPs. “Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing. Australians know that,” Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra on Monday. “Australians know, from the revelations that they’ve read in recent weeks, that too many children have suffered child abuse but have also seen other adults let them down. “They’ve not only had their trust betrayed by the abuser but other adults who could have acted to assist them have failed to do so.” She hoped the royal commission would help heal victims and ensure child abuse “never, ever happens again”. The broad inquiry will cover religious institutions of all denominations, state institutions, schools, not-for-profit groups such as
scouts and sporting clubs, and also look at police responses. “It’s not just the evil of the people who do it, there has been a systemic failure to respond to it and to protect children,” Ms Gillard said. “We need to learn the lessons about how institutions can best respond when there are allegations of sexual abuse of children.” The move is likely to win political support, since Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said earlier on Monday that any investigation of child abuse should be wide-ranging and not focussed on just the Catholic Church. The church currently faces a special commission in NSW to investigate allegations of abuse by clergy in the Hunter region and a possible cover-up. A Victorian parliamentary inquiry is already examining sexual abuse by clergy in that state. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon and the acting minister for families, Brendan O’Connor, will work with the premiers and chief ministers, victims’ groups, religious leaders and community organisations in the next few weeks to establish terms of reference for the commission. ...continued on p3
THE QUEEN SPEAKS
Judith Lucy on her comedic reign | P5
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