Salvos commissioner says it's no longer publicly acceptable to have a confessed sex offender in active ministry.
OMG! The Commissioner of the Salvation Army for two Australian states had no problem with employing child sex offenders until he determined that the public didn't want child sex offenders in the ministry.
That is hardly believable! Did he not, at any time, ask God whether He wanted child sex offenders in His ministry? I'm absolutely bewildered how people can be in charge of Christian ministries and have no fear of, or communication with God. Wow!
Did he not, at any time, have any concern for the welfare of the children the pedophile was responsible for? I seriously think Condon should consider resigning.
The following is an ABC Australia radio interview by host Eleanor Hall and reporter Sarah Dingle covering the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse.
ELEANOR HALL: To the child abuse Royal Commission now, and the head of the Salvation Army in New South Wales and Queensland told the inquiry that he kept a known child sex offender employed at the charity until last October.
Salvation Army commissioner James Condon also says he didn't think he had an obligation to report that to authorities until last December.
Our reporter Sarah Dingle has been covering the hearings and she joins us now.
Sarah, how did this Salvation Army leader come to make these extraordinary admissions today?
SARAH DINGLE: Well, Eleanor, this particular child sex offender, Colin Haggar, admitted to sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl in 1989. He was never charged, and we've also heard that since last May further child sex abuse allegations against him have come to light.
Today, commissioner James Condon said since May commissioner Condon had been talking to senior personnel about this matter with Colin Haggar - specifically, whether the Salvation Army had an obligation to report Colin Haggar to the authorities.
Until last year, Colin Haggar was the assistant director of a women's and children's shelter.
The Salvation Army didn't report Colin Haggar, but in September an officer captain Michelle White took it upon herself to notify the New South Wales Ombudsman.
By October the Ombudsman was investigating, and that month commissioner James Condon involuntarily retired Colin Haggar.
In December, commissioner Condon had a meeting with the Deputy Ombudsman Steve Kinmond. According to file notes of that meeting, Mr Kinmond said the Salvation Army did have an obligation to notify authorities about Colin Haggar.
But commissioner James Condon claims another Ombudsman investigator at the meeting still said they didn't have to.
JAMES CONDON: I… I, as I said to you and to the Commission the whole matter was so drawn out, and the scenario, with all sorts of different advice being given, and I can remember, Mr Beckett, very clearly that Ruth… is it Ruth Bard… was at odds with Mr Kinmond. That's what I remember in the meeting.
My assessment of that meeting was that she wasn't in agreement with him. So you chose to error on the side of reckless endangerment of children?
SARAH DINGLE: That's commissioner James Condon.
Documents show Deputy Ombudsman Steve Kinmond continued to investigate the matter, asking detailed questions about Colin Haggar and the Salvation Army until last month. Commissioner Condon says he wasn't aware of any of those letters at the time; he'd only become aware of them in the last few days and weeks because they were tendered to the Royal Commission.
ELEANOR HALL: And Sarah, did this commissioner James Condon explain why he eventually did remove this child sex offender from active service, especially working with women and children?
SARAH DINGLE: Well, the Commissioner says he only acted because he believes, in the last few years, public attitudes towards having a confessed child sex offender in active ministry had changed.
We know that the Salvation Army introduced a 'minute' in 2007 - a policy stating no convicted or cautioned sex offender could work with children. But commissioner James Condon says that policy wasn't retrospective, so it didn't apply to Colin Haggar. What? Are you serious? I want to scream!!!
Today commisioner Condon said he decided to involuntarily retire Colin Haggar last year - not because that policy had become retrospective - but because he was trying to keep in line with public attitudes.
MICHAEL CONDON: The way things had changed since 2007, in terms of perception, et cetera, about a clergyman - in this case a Salvation Army officer - known sex offender continuing to minister as a Salvation Army Officer…
SIMEON BECKETT: So it's more appropriate that it have retrospective effect?
MICHAEL CONDON: Minutes are not retrospective, I stated that yesterday. But the point I'm highlighting is: perceptions had changed, that's… yeah.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's the Salvation Army commissioner James Condon, speaking to counsel assisting Simeon Beckett at the Royal Commission, and our reporter covering the sex abuse Royal Commission is Sarah Dingle.
OMG! The Commissioner of the Salvation Army for two Australian states had no problem with employing child sex offenders until he determined that the public didn't want child sex offenders in the ministry.
That is hardly believable! Did he not, at any time, ask God whether He wanted child sex offenders in His ministry? I'm absolutely bewildered how people can be in charge of Christian ministries and have no fear of, or communication with God. Wow!
Did he not, at any time, have any concern for the welfare of the children the pedophile was responsible for? I seriously think Condon should consider resigning.
The following is an ABC Australia radio interview by host Eleanor Hall and reporter Sarah Dingle covering the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse.
ELEANOR HALL: To the child abuse Royal Commission now, and the head of the Salvation Army in New South Wales and Queensland told the inquiry that he kept a known child sex offender employed at the charity until last October.
Salvation Army commissioner James Condon also says he didn't think he had an obligation to report that to authorities until last December.
 |
| Eleanor Hall |
Our reporter Sarah Dingle has been covering the hearings and she joins us now.
Sarah, how did this Salvation Army leader come to make these extraordinary admissions today?
SARAH DINGLE: Well, Eleanor, this particular child sex offender, Colin Haggar, admitted to sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl in 1989. He was never charged, and we've also heard that since last May further child sex abuse allegations against him have come to light.
Today, commissioner James Condon said since May commissioner Condon had been talking to senior personnel about this matter with Colin Haggar - specifically, whether the Salvation Army had an obligation to report Colin Haggar to the authorities.
Until last year, Colin Haggar was the assistant director of a women's and children's shelter.
The Salvation Army didn't report Colin Haggar, but in September an officer captain Michelle White took it upon herself to notify the New South Wales Ombudsman.
 |
| SA Major Colin Haggar |
In December, commissioner Condon had a meeting with the Deputy Ombudsman Steve Kinmond. According to file notes of that meeting, Mr Kinmond said the Salvation Army did have an obligation to notify authorities about Colin Haggar.
But commissioner James Condon claims another Ombudsman investigator at the meeting still said they didn't have to.
JAMES CONDON: I… I, as I said to you and to the Commission the whole matter was so drawn out, and the scenario, with all sorts of different advice being given, and I can remember, Mr Beckett, very clearly that Ruth… is it Ruth Bard… was at odds with Mr Kinmond. That's what I remember in the meeting.
My assessment of that meeting was that she wasn't in agreement with him. So you chose to error on the side of reckless endangerment of children?
SARAH DINGLE: That's commissioner James Condon.
Documents show Deputy Ombudsman Steve Kinmond continued to investigate the matter, asking detailed questions about Colin Haggar and the Salvation Army until last month. Commissioner Condon says he wasn't aware of any of those letters at the time; he'd only become aware of them in the last few days and weeks because they were tendered to the Royal Commission.
 |
| SA Commissioner Condon |
ELEANOR HALL: And Sarah, did this commissioner James Condon explain why he eventually did remove this child sex offender from active service, especially working with women and children?
SARAH DINGLE: Well, the Commissioner says he only acted because he believes, in the last few years, public attitudes towards having a confessed child sex offender in active ministry had changed.
We know that the Salvation Army introduced a 'minute' in 2007 - a policy stating no convicted or cautioned sex offender could work with children. But commissioner James Condon says that policy wasn't retrospective, so it didn't apply to Colin Haggar. What? Are you serious? I want to scream!!!
Today commisioner Condon said he decided to involuntarily retire Colin Haggar last year - not because that policy had become retrospective - but because he was trying to keep in line with public attitudes.
MICHAEL CONDON: The way things had changed since 2007, in terms of perception, et cetera, about a clergyman - in this case a Salvation Army officer - known sex offender continuing to minister as a Salvation Army Officer…
SIMEON BECKETT: So it's more appropriate that it have retrospective effect?
MICHAEL CONDON: Minutes are not retrospective, I stated that yesterday. But the point I'm highlighting is: perceptions had changed, that's… yeah.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's the Salvation Army commissioner James Condon, speaking to counsel assisting Simeon Beckett at the Royal Commission, and our reporter covering the sex abuse Royal Commission is Sarah Dingle.
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