Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare and
Victorian Council of Social Service
Responding to the Royal
Commission into Institutional
Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Wednesday 1 May 2013
Organisational Governance- Risks and
Responsibilities
Peter Johnstone OAM
Chairman, VincentCare Victoria
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Sexual abuse – Two levels of
Criminality
1. The actual sexual abuse of children
2. The aggravation of those abuses by
organisations responsible for the abusers
– failing to act in accordance with the
organisation’s basic values, and
– protecting abusers, protecting the organisation,
failing to protect children, and exposing further
children to abuse.
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Corporate governance
the processes by which organisations are directed,
controlled and held to account
organisations achieving their missions in an
accountable and ethical manner, focused on
outcomes and managing risks
boards and managers meeting their
responsibilities for effective and ethical leadership
authority, accountability, stewardship, leadership,
direction and control exercised in the organisation
culture promoting values
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The Royal Commission into Institutional
Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
• “inquire into institutional responses to allegations and
incidents of child sexual abuse and related matters.”
– seek justice for victims
– ensure necessary changes to society and its institutions to
prevent such scandalous situation ever recurring.
• The Letters Patent require that
– best practice (be) identified so that it may be followed in the
future
• to protect against the occurrence of child sexual abuse and
• to respond appropriately when any allegations and incidents of child
sexual abuse occur, including holding perpetrators to account and
providing justice to victims.
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The Challenge for Organisations
• What went wrong that has led to this major
inquiry?
• The governance of my organisation and others
• What can we contribute to the Royal
Commission?
• What are the principles that will guide our
response?
• What are the risks of inadequate responses –
risks to organisations and to children?
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Organisational Responsibilities
•
•
•
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Accountability and Values
Recruitment and Supervision
Reporting of crime to civil authorities
Governance structures
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The Obvious Questions
• How could this happen: particularly totally inadequate
and at times criminal responses by organisations that
claim lofty ideals?
– - organisations whose very purpose is the good of others
whether grounded in religious or humanitarian motives.
• What steps do organisations need to take to ensure
that such dysfunctional and irresponsible
organisational behaviour cannot occur again?
– Much present governance has been shown to be woefully
inadequate.
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QUESTIONS/ OBSERVATIONS
???
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