From The Guardian:

Australia has launched a national inquiry into allegations of child sex abuse in state and religious institutions and NGOs, a process in which more than 5,000 victims are likely to give evidence.

This can’t bode well for the Catholic Church.

The New South Wales state government had ordered an inquiry a week earlier into allegations of a sexual abuse cover-up by Catholic priests in the Hunter Valley region north of Sydney. Victoria state officials had also begun investigating a separate series of priest sex abuse allegations in their state.

Since the federal inquiry was announced, more than 6,000 people have contacted staff in writing or by phone.

This is interesting:

A panel of six commissioners launched the inquiry, known in Australia as a royal commission. Witnesses can be compelled to testify and risk imprisonment for lying.

So, does this threat apply to the victims as well?  Refuse to tell what happened to you and you get to be a defendant just the like people who victimized you…