Australia PM will make national apology to sex abuse victims

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in August 8, 2017. (AP File Photo/Rod McGuirk)

SYDNEY — Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull would deliver a national apology to child sex abuse victims in the government’s response to a long-running inquiry that has heard allegations against many government and private institutions and prominent individuals through five years of hearings.

The apology would be made to abuse survivors, victims, and their families on October 22 after public consultations. Turnbull said on Wednesday that Australia must “do everything in our power to honor the bravery of the thousands of people who came forward.”

Turnbull’s government will adopt 104 of the 122 recommendations made to it by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

One of the proposals being adopted establishes a national office for child safety while another involves joining a redress payments program.

Other recommendations were under consideration. /kga