The institutionalised abuse of children in Australia: past and present

Institutionalised forms of child abuse have been committed by both government and non‐government authorities including the police force, social service departments, the diplomatic service, schools and pre‐schools, the judicial system and the church. This paper examines Australian examples and shows that leadership may mitigate or amplify abuse by authority. The precedence of the rights of adults over the rights of children is also viewed as a factor in child abuse. The recent creation in Australia, of another authority ‐‐ a 'Commissioner for Children' ‐‐ may go some way towards rectifying this imbalance of rights