The evidence of child abuse brought forward by the clergy and members of the Catholic Church in the Ballarat diocese, leaves Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos “absolutely horrified.”
“We need to learn from the royal commission to ensure we can put in measures to prevent those types of situations occurring.”
“Their stories highlight the work that still needs to be done to protect vulnerable children,” Ms Mikakos told reporters on Wednesday.
Part of the $283 million in funding for improving services for vulnerable families will be allocated to increasing front-line staff over a four-year period.
Victoria will subsequently hire an extra 111 child protection workers in an effort to fortify its child protection services.
“This is all about prevention and making sure our various institutions prevent abuse and keep children as safe as possible,” Ms Mikakos explained.
The new measures will be introduced as part of a system-wide reform program set to address a series of recommendations included in a 2013 Betrayal of Trust report, regarding the handling of child abuse by religious and other institutions.