The first public hearing days of the National Royal Commission (since 2 April, 2013, when the Commissioners made a brief public appearance) occurred in mid September. The Commission examined the responses of the Scouts, the Department of Community Services and the Aboriginal Children's Services Corporation concerning the actions of a particular individual whom all of those organisations had engaged or employed to work with children.
The majority of time is being invested in private hearings. While the six Commissioners sat as a single panel for the September public hearing, the private hearings are being conducted by single Commissioners in different locations simultaneously.
The Commission has outlined its timetable until 31 December 2013, which will include:
- hearing into YMCA and its employment of another particular individual to work with children;
- compensation and litigation surrounding child sex abuse claims in the Anglican Diocese of Grafton;
- a review of the 'Towards Healing' principles and procedures operated by the Catholic Church from 1996 onwards;
and in early 2014, investigations into:
- an unidentified orphanage; and
- one or more institutions conducted by the Salvation Army and the Catholic Church.
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