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Insights from Quadrant
________________________
Audio: Keith Windschuttle discusses his book with the ABC’s Andrew West
________________________
The Persecution of George Pell chronicles how the highest levels of the police, judiciary and politicians in Australia, plus victim lobby groups, compensation lawyers, and journalists, used bogus accusations of child sexual abuse to persecute, convict and jail an innocent man.
Keith Windschuttle uncovers the campaign aimed not only at personally destroying one of Australia’s most influential religious leaders, but also of trashing the reputation of the Catholic Church. Had it succeeded, the campaign would have set damaging precedents for the rule of law in Australia. Pell spent 400 days in prison before a unanimous judgment of the High Court finally set him free.
To get their man, lawyers, judges and a Royal Commission reversed long-standing legal principles, including the presumption of innocence, the onus of proof, and guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Every claim of child sexual abuse, they insisted, must be believed. This is the story of profound injustice heaped on one individual and the social and legal damage caused by radical ideologues convinced of their own virtue.
Retail price: $39.95, plus postage
Insights from Quadrant
‘When a child
was just a child’
was just a child’
When Quadrant subscriber Stephen read Tony Thomas’ article on the myth of the Stolen Generations he was reminded of his days as NSW child welfare officer. He writes:
I’m 70 but my memories of working as an Examiner (a junior clerk) in the State Wards Branch of the NSW Child Welfare Department in 70/71 remain pretty clear. Our role was to receive reports and submissions from the District Officers about the welfare of children who’s condition had been brought to there attention usually by police or teachers. These reports were the basis for submissions to the Minister. They were about making children state wards in order to protect them or to restore them to the custody of the parents when home conditions had been remediated.
Many of these reports made harrowing reading describing terrible home conditions where children were filthy, malnourished and too often injured by parental violence. Alcohol was often a key contributor. The children were admitted to a State run residential home with many being fostered out.
The parents would continue to receive visits from the DO’s (mainly young women with degrees in Social Work) and if sufficient efforts were made to improve home conditions they could apply for the child to be restored. This sometimes worked well but there was always too many cases were the child had to be removed again.
This was the pre internet age. Communication arrived in post bags often hand written. There were no photos. One thing we at the Head Office in Ultimo NEVER knew and was NEVER mentioned and frankly NEVER discussed was whether the child was Aboriginal or net. This was an unwoke age when a child was just a child.
Some may accuse me and my colleagues from those days as being complicit in the stolen generations. Like making sure the trains to the gas chambers ran on time. They can think what they like. I don’t care because those of us actually involved did it for moral and compassionate reasons. Were we culturally insensitive? Why should anyone be culturally sensitive about filth, malnourishment and violence? What humbug!
Insights from Quadrant
________________________
Audio: Keith Windschuttle discusses his book with the ABC’s Andrew West
________________________
The Persecution of George Pell chronicles how the highest levels of the police, judiciary and politicians in Australia, plus victim lobby groups, compensation lawyers, and journalists, used bogus accusations of child sexual abuse to persecute, convict and jail an innocent man.
Keith Windschuttle uncovers the campaign aimed not only at personally destroying one of Australia’s most influential religious leaders, but also of trashing the reputation of the Catholic Church. Had it succeeded, the campaign would have set damaging precedents for the rule of law in Australia. Pell spent 400 days in prison before a unanimous judgment of the High Court finally set him free.
To get their man, lawyers, judges and a Royal Commission reversed long-standing legal principles, including the presumption of innocence, the onus of proof, and guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Every claim of child sexual abuse, they insisted, must be believed. This is the story of profound injustice heaped on one individual and the social and legal damage caused by radical ideologues convinced of their own virtue.
Retail price: $39.95, plus postage
Insights from Quadrant
‘When a child
was just a child’
was just a child’
When Quadrant subscriber Stephen read Tony Thomas’ article on the myth of the Stolen Generations he was reminded of his days as NSW child welfare officer. He writes:
I’m 70 but my memories of working as an Examiner (a junior clerk) in the State Wards Branch of the NSW Child Welfare Department in 70/71 remain pretty clear. Our role was to receive reports and submissions from the District Officers about the welfare of children who’s condition had been brought to there attention usually by police or teachers. These reports were the basis for submissions to the Minister. They were about making children state wards in order to protect them or to restore them to the custody of the parents when home conditions had been remediated.
Many of these reports made harrowing reading describing terrible home conditions where children were filthy, malnourished and too often injured by parental violence. Alcohol was often a key contributor. The children were admitted to a State run residential home with many being fostered out.
The parents would continue to receive visits from the DO’s (mainly young women with degrees in Social Work) and if sufficient efforts were made to improve home conditions they could apply for the child to be restored. This sometimes worked well but there was always too many cases were the child had to be removed again.
This was the pre internet age. Communication arrived in post bags often hand written. There were no photos. One thing we at the Head Office in Ultimo NEVER knew and was NEVER mentioned and frankly NEVER discussed was whether the child was Aboriginal or net. This was an unwoke age when a child was just a child.
Some may accuse me and my colleagues from those days as being complicit in the stolen generations. Like making sure the trains to the gas chambers ran on time. They can think what they like. I don’t care because those of us actually involved did it for moral and compassionate reasons. Were we culturally insensitive? Why should anyone be culturally sensitive about filth, malnourishment and violence? What humbug!
