Channel 7 Today Tonight (Adelaide) 6 December 2004

Child Abuse Inquiry

This version of the transcript has been edited by Dr Robert N Moles

In order of appearance

Leigh McCluskey, Presenter
Andrew Martin, Former Victim of Abuse
Mike Hourigan, International Human Rights Lawyer
Jay Weatherill, Minister for Family Services [File tape]
Mike Rann, Premier [File Tape]
Graham Archer, Producer and Interviewer
Ki Meekins, Former Victim of Abuse

Program

Leigh McCluskey

Tonight a bombshell, just days before the start of South Australia's Child Abuse Inquiry. After months of public and political debate, the State Government finally conceded that a full and proper investigation into allegations of decades of abuse was indeed warranted. And crucial to the impartiality and fairness of that Inquiry is the calibre of the people chosen to conduct it. Tonight we can reveal that the man who's been appointed the Chief Investigator for the Inquiry is a friend and confidante of convicted child sex offender, the former magistrate Peter Liddy.

Graham Archer has this exclusive report.

Andrew Martin

If that's not the biggest conflict of interest I've heard for a while I don't know what is.

Mike Hourigan

And if that investigative process is unsound, then often the conclusions that you come to, can often be questionable.

Graham Archer

As they say - there's been good news and bad news. First - the good news.

Jay Weatherill

[In Parliament] I seek to move that I have leave to introduce a Bill for an Act to provide for a Commission of Inquiry into allegations of failure on the part of government agencies' employees or other relevant persons to investigate or appropriately deal with allegations concerning sexual offences against children under the guardianship, custody, care or control of the minister responsible for the protection of children, to provide evidentiary powers and immunities in connection with the inquiry and for other purposes.

Graham Archer

Wednesday marks the official launch of the Judicial Inquiry into abuse of wards of the State. Something the Government scoffed at when we first raised the issue two years ago.

Mike Rann

[File tape] I wouldn't think however a Royal Commission would be the way to go. Royal Commission's simply cost money.

Graham Archer

Most sneering, of course, was the Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson. Here's a sample of his talkback trivialisation of the issue with mate - Father John Fleming.

Michael Atkinson

[File tape radio discussion] Graham Archer from Channel Seven's Today Tonight was calling for a Royal Commission into child abuse in South Australia covering a period of 30 to 40 years. And barristers were all joking that (tongue in cheek) that this was a tremendous idea because it meant $35m would be spent on them. [laughs]

Graham Archer

Talk about preaching to the converted. But despite such mockery, the Rann Government eventually conceded something had to be done; though the commissioning of the Layton Report was an early Government attempt to just shift the deckchairs.

Graham Archer

[File tape - To Robyn Layton QC at launch of the report] But there are hundreds of cases.

Robyn Layton QC

Well you say so.

Graham Archer

Well I'm sure you know so. You just peel back all of the files in – in DCW [Dept of Community Work] and FAYS [Family and Youth Services] and you have a look at what's written in there.

Robyn Layton QC

I think we'll move to other questions.

Graham Archer

Now almost two years down the track a Judicial Inquiry, a Royal Commission by another name, into systematic abuse of Wards of the State - what we called The Takeaway Children - will commence. Crucial to the Inquiry is the public perception of the independence of those involved.
Given what's gone before do you think this process needs to be as transparent as possible?

Andrew Martin

Most definitely - yes. All the cards should be laid on the table and, yeah, and that's all I can say, there should be - the public should be made aware of everything.

Graham Archer

Ki Meekins was one of those Takeaway Children who had the courage to tell us his story - first bringing this outrage to the surface.

Ki Meekins

[File tape] Any government's past sins create huge future shadows - now a government cannot build a good future on a devious, heinous past.

Graham Archer

But now, to the not so good news.

Andrew Martin

This is not being done the right way, definitely. That's how I feel, you know.

Graham Archer

Justice Ted Mullighan, after taking early retirement from the Supreme Court, will head the Inquiry. And here's the problem. Not the judge - but the judgement of our Attorney-General about who will do the investigations.
What if I told you that the man appointed as the Chief Investigator to this inquiry was paedophile magistrate Peter Liddy's friend and his power of attorney?

Andrew Martin

Could you repeat that - sorry?

Graham Archer

What I'm saying is the man employed to investigate paedophiles abusing abandoned children has spent the last four years doing the bidding of the State's probably most notorious paedophile - Peter Liddy. Bill Morris is Peter Liddy's power of attorney. He's now heading up the investigation into the abuse of Wards of the State. And the period over which this Inquiry is to look - is exactly the period when this man's friend was most active.

Andrew Martin

If that's not a kick in the guts what is? And - oh mate that's just - does not surprise me though, it does not surprise me.

Graham Archer

That's pretty sad isn't it?

Andrew Martin

Very sad.

Graham Archer

That's right - William Arthur George or ‘Wags’ Morris, a former copper turned lawyer and not just a friend but power of attorney for Peter Liddy, has been appointed chief investigator to this inquiry into child abuse.

Andrew Martin

Oh that's just - that's knocked me back a peg or two. That's - and I'm relying on these people - or South Australia are relying on these people to do the right thing.

Graham Archer

Andrew Martin was one of Liddy's child victims - and with others is suing Liddy for damages.

Andrew Martin

[File tape] It's ripping me apart - ripping me apart.

Mike Hourigan

Well one of the - one of the critical things about public inquiries is confidence - and it's not just an outcome, it's not conclusions.  

Graham Archer

Mike Hourigan is a former police officer now turned lawyer working in the area of international human rights and he considers transparency crucial for public confidence into inquiries such as this.

Mike Hourigan

If there was any criticism, whether it be an investigator - or a member of that staff - or the person ultimately leading that inquiry, if there was any question as to their independence it would have - I think, a serious implication on the potential conclusions. And it's like I was saying before - that the forensic process that starts from day one of an inquiry and leading to the ultimate conclusion, if there's any question of – of independence or transparency, if there's any question about that, then ultimately the – the - the - the final conclusions you draw are questionable. So I'd say that's a serious problem.

Graham Archer

But let's have a quick look at Bill Morris's connections to paedophile - Peter Liddy. After Liddy was charged with 18 counts of child abuse he went to Morris for help. As a friend and power of attorney, Morris received large sums of money for taking care of Liddy's personal business. He and his wife, Barbara, also a lawyer, were amongst the very few allowed into closed court hearings as a part of Liddy's support team.

Andrew Martin

You cannot get any closer than that, Graham, without being a Siamese twin.

Graham Archer

In June 2001 when Liddy was sentenced to 25 years jail some of his victims, like Andrew Martin, recommenced their attempts to sue him for a share of his extensive assets.

Reading Of Article

“The shipwreck treasure collection was particularly valuable.”

Graham Archer

Those who remember the case will know the extraordinary events which surrounded the eventual sale of Liddy's mansion to conman and former bank robber - Terry Stephens. And we can reveal these were events in which Bill Morris played an important role. Morris arranged for Liddy's friend, Eric Van Kruyssen, to visit the house and make their
own list of assets.

Andrew Martin

No, I wasn't aware of that. So they made their own list and how am I to believe that that list is correct?

Graham Archer

That list became the only list.

Andrew Martin

Okay, yeah.

Graham Archer

There can be little doubt Morris was familiar with what Liddy owned, after all Morris was more or less his caretaker. But more troubling was what he actually did. While the court had a freeze over Liddy's assets there were a number of attempted break-ins on that property reported to police by Bill Morris.

Andrew Martin

I'm aware of at least two incidences of reported break-ins to the Kapunda residence.

Graham Archer

Or attempted break-ins.

Andrew Martin

Or attempted break-ins to the Kapunda residence around that time, yes, made to police.

Graham Archer

And here's the really curious part - it was Bill Morris who would just weeks after reporting these break-ins, cancel Liddy's contents insurance policy which protected those assets.

Andrew Martin

Why would you do that? Cancel the insurance policies after –

Graham Archer

After two attempted break-ins had been reported?

Andrew Martin

All I - all I have to say to that is why?

Graham Archer

And even more alarming is that the following month - September 2001 - 1,500 items were removed from the house without trace after a successful break-in.

Andrew Martin

I just can't comprehend that - and I can't believe that it's been handled this way in our best interests. I just - it's a joke.

Graham Archer

Equally alarming is that Liddy - and therefore Morris - was under an order from the court to protect those assets. What's also never been revealed is that the insurance contains a treasure-trove of gold coins and shipwreck items, the whereabouts of which have never been explained.

Andrew Martin

That'd be more reason to have the insurance on it if it was vacant. That's more reason to insure your property and keep it insured.

Graham Archer

So on Wednesday we launch an inquiry into the mistreatment of children in state care, the Chief Investigator of which has acted as the power of attorney for one of the State's most notorious paedophiles.

Mike Hourigan

If there's any questions raised along those lines of independence and impartiality that if they dismiss those out of hand, that in one or two years time whatever conclusions that Inquiry comes to could be questioned. And that would be a, I think a - a sad outcome for a whole lot of effort and a whole lot of expenditure both in money and personal terms.

Graham Archer

Perhaps the Attorney-General is right - perhaps it will be a waste of money. But if public confidence is destroyed from the outset the shame will be on his head and not on ours.

Andrew Martin

Who can I have trust in and faith in? And who - who's working for me here or who's working for us victims here? You know - good old Adelaide.

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