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The Press
October 31, 2002
Order hires retired judge to review actions
by Yvonne Martin
A
beleaguered Catholic order has hired retired High Court judge Sir Rodney Gallen
to review its handling of sex abuse complaints against brothers.
The St John of God Order has been inundated with complaints from about 70 men
who claim they were abused as boys by brothers who ran the former
It has hired Sir Rodney to review the procedures it has put in place to deal
with complaints and to oversee the next phase of negotiations.
Sir Rodney investigated allegations of ill- treatment and sexual abuse at the
former
Former patients received $6.5 million compensation and a Government apology
last year for abuse they suffered at the hospital in the 1970s.
Sir Rodney was also commissioned to review the Police Complaints Authority by
Justice Minister Phil Goff, in the wake of the Waitara killing of Steven
Wallace by a police officer in April 2000.
Brother Peter Burke, the Australasian head of the order, said it wanted an
independent, eminent New Zealander to oversee and audit its complaints
procedure.
"Sir Rodney has overseen a number of huge inquiries in
"His job will be to audit the process thus far and to advise on how we
propose to resolve each case individually."
Brother Burke estimates about 70 complaints received so far are "genuine
and serious", mostly dating back to the 1970s. The order will negotiate
proposed settlements with complainants, which will then be reviewed by Sir
Rodney.
"I have always said that I want this process to be open and transparent
and for nothing to be hidden," said Brother Burke.
"It hasn't affected my faith in God, because I don't blame God for this.
But it has shattered my faith in human nature."