sydney australia introduce law force religious leaders report child abuse include catholic priests tell abuse confession say report friday detail institutional abuse particularly catholic church one country top catholics melbourne archbishop denis hart say law would undermine central tenet catholicism confidentiality confessional warn priest break seal confession would excommunicate 17-volume document royal commission institutional responses child abuse mark end one world big inquiries child abuse leave government decide whether enact recommendations five-year investigation find multiple persistent fail institutions keep children safe culture secrecy cover-up devastate affect child sexual abuse individual life commission say statement report detail tens thousands child victims say abusers case rotten apples never know true number read statement vatican say report deserve study seriously make mention specific suggestions holy see remain commit close catholic church australia lay faithful religious clergy alike listen accompany victims survivors effort bring heal justice statement say inquiry span religious government educational professional organizations hear many account allege abuse cover-ups australian catholic church include allegations move priests suspect abuse parishes avoid detection survivors report abuse religious institutions 60 percent cite catholic church demonstrate catastrophic failures leadership particularly 1990s report say vatican statement say pope francis make clear church call place compassion especially suffer reaffirm church commit safe environments protection children vulnerable adults royal commission report say clergy tell child abuse confessional require law report call catholic church make celibacy voluntary clergy add contribute child abuse would feel terribly conflict would try even hard get person outside confessional break seal hart tell reporters penalty priest break seal excommunication cast church real serious spiritual matter want observe law land ... part identity priest observe seal confession similar recommendation make ireland 2009 child abuse inquiry lead mandatory report law 2015. u.s. state similar requirements australian report also call national office child safety national child safety standards child abuse report record keep would cover institutions engage child-related work australian prime minister malcolm turnbull say inquiry expose national tragedy government would consider recommendations respond full next year sydney archbishop anthony fisher say statement appal sinful criminal activity clergy religious lay church-workers ashamed failure respond church leaders inquiry hear previously australian catholic church pay 276 million 212 million compensation thousands child abuse victims since 1980 1.3040 australian dollars australian abuse report call end sanctity confession