|
The Press
March 24 1992
Sacking not abuse related - Union
by Chris Topp
The man at the centre of the police investigation into possible sexual abuse
at the Civic Child Care Centre may take legal action against his job
dismissal.
He was not dismissed because of any evidence of child molestation says his
union.
The secretary of the Southern Local Government Officers Union, Mr Peter
Lawson said yesterday that the man was considering a personal grievance
against the Christchurch City Council for unfair dismissal.
“In fact, I’m not really sure why the council dismissed him last month,” he
said.
The council s metropolitan services manager Mr Rob Dally said yesterday the
reason for the mans dismissal was confidential between the council and the
former employee.
Mr Lawson said the man had not been interviewed by the police even though the
investigation had been going on for several months.
“While it is true that last November a complaint was made alleging possible
child molestation by a worker, it is a fact that the police found there was
no case to answer and did not even bother to interview the worker concerned,”
he said
The Christchurch City Council had placed the worker on special leave while
that complaint was being investigated.
He was subsequently dismissed, but not because of any evidence of child
molestation,” Mr Lawson said.
“It seems that more allegations may have subsequently arisen, however neither
the worker concerned nor this union have any direct knowledge of this.
Indeed, the worker concerned has still not been interviewed by the police,”
he said.
Mr Lawson said while members and staff of the union would be as horrified as
anyone if child molestation had taken place, "we do appeal to the media
and the public not to conduct a media trial by innuendo.”
Childcare workers have condemned the Christchurch City Council s handling of
the child sex abuse investigation at the Civic Child Care Centre.
A spokeswoman for the Combined Early Childhood Workers’ Union Ms Barb Madden,
said yesterday that parents with children at the centre had not been given
enough time to deal with the situation before the council spoke to the news
media about a police investigation regarding possible widespread sexual abuse
at the centre.
Parents of children attending the centre dating back to 1986 were sent
letters by the council last week asking them to attend a meeting on March 31.
The meeting would advise parents on how to determine if their children had
been sexually abused. Up to 200 children could be involved.
Ms Madden said she knew of parents who had been informed of the allegations
by relatives telephoning from around New Zealand after they heard
about it through the media.
Ms Madden said the situation would bring huge emotional burdens to families
"Why they allowed the centre to be filmed with children's faces I'll
never know." she said. The long-term effects on some families would be
horrific.
Ms Madden said she knew or three parents who were still trying to come to
terms with their own childhood sexual abuse.
They now faced the possibility of the same thing having happened to their
children.
"There s no nice way of handling this, but I wonder about putting it out
in the media before the majority of parents had a chance to digest the
information themselves "
She said workers were concerned at the effect the investigation would have on
childcare workers and male workers in particular.
The man at the centre of the investigation had not been charged but was being
tried and convicted by the media she said.
Mr Dally said that media coverage of the investigation meant all parents
concerned should hear about the March 31 meeting.
There were no guarantees all letters would reach families, particularly if
they had shifted since their children attended the centre.
He said the situation had been taken out of the council's hands.
“We certainly had no intention of going public. The media made that decision
for us," he said.
Meanwhile, Detective Colin Eade, of the Christchurch
police child abuse unit, said yesterday that the police had no further
comment at this stage regarding the investigation.
This included how long it might take.
Record of abusers backed
The Canterbury Council for Civil Liberties would not object to a register of
convicted child molesters, but says its use should be restricted.
The Citizens Against Violence group called for the register after the
announcement of a child abuse inquiry centring on the Civic Child Care Centre
in Christchurch.
A spokesman for the council Mr Graeme Dunstall said he was in favour of a register
covering all childcare workers, including information such as general work
competency.
He believes it should be held independently from employers, who would be told
only whether the person was fit and proper, and not the detailed contents of
their file.
As in all cases of data privacy, the person concerned should be able to
scrutinise entries on their file.
Mr Mark Vivian, the co-ordinator for STOP, a programme for men who have
sexually offended, said a register should be considered despite difficulties.
One problem was the "relatively few" men who sexually abused
children were convicted in court.
A register might also give an impression that children were more at risk of
abuse outside their homes, when most serious offences were done by family members
or family friends.
|
