An inquiry into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School in Melbourne has expanded its scope to investigate allegations at 18 other state schools where the same teachers worked. The probe, announced by the Andrews government in June, focuses on at least three perpetrators linked to these schools.
Kathleen Foley, SC, chair of the inquiry, stated that the investigation will create an official public record of victim-survivor experiences. 'We want to be part of the process of healing for all those affected,' she said. The inquiry has identified former Beaumaris teacher Gary Mitchell as one of the perpetrators, noting he has been sentenced five times for child sexual abuse since the late 1990s.
Mitchell worked at multiple Victorian schools, including Warragul Technical School, Dandenong North and West primary schools, Beaconsfield Upper Primary School, Emerald Primary School, Cranbourne Primary School, and Bunyip Primary School, where he served as principal. The inquiry will hear testimonies from individuals abused by staff and contractors at schools between the 1960s and 1990s who also worked at Beaumaris.
Public hearings are set to commence later this month, with some testimonies given in private. The inquiry will also examine the state education department's knowledge and response to the abuse. Premier Daniel Andrews has pledged a formal apology to victims, separate from a wider apology for historical abuse in institutional care settings.
The inquiry is due to report to the government by the end of February. Foley encouraged anyone with relevant information to come forward, even anonymously, as the probe seeks to address the needs of victim-survivors.
