The seal? Has no authority to cover up a crime against the innocent! With those found to be doing so! Guilty of ipso facto, aiding and abetting after the fact

Moreover, repentance and remorse, never ever include repetition or recidivism! Nor endless cover ups!
Alan B.

Hi there YUYUTSU...

I'm in agreement with you, indeed those who have a need to make a confession might have to travel abroad especially if they fear their Priest might give em up as it were. From a purely policing perspective I couldn't imagine how you'd ever manage to police such a law?

Interestingly TONI LAVIS in another Topic gave a very good explanation of what the precise options are for a Priest, when he hears of serious criminality allegedly committed by a confessor?

You really have to roll around the floor with uncontrollable laughter when the boring old Hart claims that: the "confession in the "catholic" church is a spiritual encounter with "God" through the priest

Further there is nothing "sacred" about the confession either. It is entirely a man-made device/procedure the purpose of which is essentially political or a form of crowd control. And of course there is almost zero demand in the lets-pretend process of the "confession" for the person confessing to change their action(s) in any fundamental way - or to simply not to perform or do that form of "sin" any more, no ifs, ands or buts.

Remember too that the "catholic" church is not in any sense a "sacred" institution, it is primarily a power-and-control-seeking political entity and a world-wide business corporation which is collectively one of the worlds largest property owners.
And whenever it can it puts itself above the laws of the secular state, as described on this site http://www.concordatwatch.eu - and evidenced by the fact that "catholic" cardinals have world-wide diplomatic immunity and privileges

Has the law changed regarding client confidentiality for psychiatrists and lawyers?

//Has the law changed regarding client confidentiality for psychiatrists and lawyers?//

Dunno about lawyers, but mandatory reporting laws apply to all NSW health professionals if a patient admits to having committed or intending to commit a range of offences.

All that the Pope has to do is to instruct priests not to hear confessions except those near death and to authorize them to give general absolution before each mass, weekdays and Sundays.

Would the Pope taking such action be an interference in Australia's internal affairs?

A little reading of Catholic rules for the governance of the Church and a bit of theology would help some posters.