The Sydney Morning Herald logo

Royal Commission

Advertisement
Rohan Burdett (middle) pictured with Robert Callen and the saint Mother Teresa

The saint, the Christian Brother and the schoolboy’s $2m sex abuse claim

Meeting Mother Teresa when he was 18 felt to Rohan Burdett as close as someone could get to God. But for years the memory would be tainted by who he shared it with.

  • Riley Walter

Latest

Pastor Steven Doust (left) and Pastor Roger Burgess were accused in parliament of covering up child sex abuse.

Church leaders accused of child abuse cover-up named in parliament

A youth group leader at the popular evangelical church was accused of child sex abuse. He is now dead.

  • Amber Schultz and Perry Duffin
Matthew Briggs

Church leader took his life after explosive child abuse claims: whistleblower

A popular evangelical church allegedly covered up claims of abuse in its congregation. Details of the claims will be revealed in parliament on Thursday.

  • Perry Duffin and Amber Schultz
Russell Manser, social media star and former bank robber, allegedly ran a “claims farming” operation before his sudden death in 2024.

Tapped calls, the TikTok star, crocodile tears; inside alleged $1b fake child abuse scam

Information released to the Herald reveals the alleged inner workings of a massive scam targeting compensation funds.

  • Perry Duffin and Michael McGowan
Working with children checks are under the spotlight.

Authorities thought a psychologist was a violent abuser but let him work with children for months

A man who was an innocent victim of mistaken identity says his case shows gaps in the working with children scheme that pose unacceptable safety risks.

  • Rachel Eddie

On-site child safety experts, independent regulation called for to combat ‘paedophile’s dream’

Child safety officers should be compulsory at every childcare service, and Victoria should create an independent regulator in the wake of devastating child abuse allegations, safety experts say.

  • Wendy Tuohy and Liam Mannix
Advertisement
Dr Vivian Waller has represented many victims of clerical sexual abuse.

Lawyer for institutional abuse victims ordered to pay $263,000 to client

Dr Vivian Waller, founder of Waller Legal, has represented hundreds of victims of institutional sexual abuse and is widely credited as a driving force behind the royal commission. However, Waller Legal has been ordered to pay a client $263,000.

  • Cameron Houston
Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle (left) from the Philippines and Italy’s Pietro Parolin are the current frontrunners in betting on the new pope.

The ‘secret-keeper’ and the ‘Asian Francis’: Questions over two favourites for next pope

As cardinals prepare to gather in Rome to elect Pope Francis’ successor, critics have singled out two of the leading candidates.

  • Rob Harris

Louise Milligan on the monster priest no one will grieve

Paedophile Gerald Ridsdale, who died last week, was convicted of abusing 70 children. But those who enabled his sick crimes are just as culpable, Louise Milligan tells Fitz.

  • Peter FitzSimons
Greg Barclay is a victim of historical sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic school teacher, but is currently prevented from proceeding with legal action against the school/order because of a recent High Court decision.

Controversial High Court ruling could be used against sex abuse victims like Greg

Greg Barclay was sexually assaulted by a Marist brother in 1970, but his quest for compensation has been blocked by a controversial High Court judgment that found the Catholic Church was not legally responsible for the misconduct of its clerics. 

  • Cameron Houston