Issy, I'm not sure what you are trying to do? Are you an apologists for perverted Catholic priests? Are you playing the Devil's advocate, or are you just being provocative.

How's this for a solution; We put truculent priests on the rack, they have a few spare in the Vatican that they might off load cheap. We extract a CONFESSION, we given them ABSOLUTION (they will like that, a one way ticket to heaven), then we apply rule 303, where we take them out, and we shoot them, you can be the firing squad. This can all take place while the 'Legal Eagles' sit on the sideline debating the finer points of the law. Should his exalted holiness, the divine one, the Pope, pop in to protest our action, we shall stick it up him to. Is the problem solved to your satisfaction?

p/s I think that is all in the Constitution and wont require a referendum! Although Barney and Archie (if he's not too busy himself) might try and put up a stink.

"I'll ask this again also; would such a move by the Pope be an interference in the internal affairs of Australia? "
A confession law would not work and like Pauline's burqa has no place in Parliament, nor does her burqa ban. The burqa's are better at..hungry Pauline's? However , back in the sanity of pollie Popes :
Bishops have asked Poppa for advice on clergy abuse and Holy See , the papal bull says shut uppa your face , I know nothing.

Everyone,

Why focus so much on the Catholic church?

All Christian churches have confessions and confession-like situations, both formal and informal, where trust and safety is paramount, occur in most walks of life.

No government is going to make a special law only for the Catholic church, so a law like that would hurt everyone (except hardened paedophiles and other criminals who do not tend to confess anyway). It will destroy all trust and goodwill between ordinary people who have no connection with child-abuse and would stop natural and healthy contrition in its tracks - and children would be hit the hardest. The absence of the confessional (or an equivalent) would also stop one-off offenders who had a slip and regret it from repenting, thus encourage them to become hardened instead and repeat their crimes. While non-judgemental confidentiality is essential for religion, it is also essential for general well-being, personal growth and mental/emotional health.

//I remember years ago when Pell first become the Australian head of the Catholic church//

No you don't. There is no Australian diocese and there is no Australian head of the Catholic church. There is the pope, who is head of the entire catholic church, and then there are (arch)bishops, each in charge of a particular (arch)diocese, who all take their orders direct from the pope. Pell was made a cardinal, which is a special kind of bishop that gets to elect popes. But as a cardinal he had no authority over other bishops or priests outside his archdiocese.

Yuyutsu
The topic has something to do with the Church.
Cardinal Pell was probably the head as the other one was away:

Cardinal Deaconry
Australia Cardinal Edward Idris Cassidy
(2002.02.26 – ...)

Basilica di Santa Maria in Via Lata Basilica di Santa Maria in Via Lata, Roma

Toni,
I must admit I'm not to savvy on the ways of the Catholic peedo sanctuaries.
But I remember he was just a Melbourne Bishop or something before he was lifted to a higher position in the church, on the back on previous sex scandals.
I'm happy to admit my mistake if I am in fact incorrect.
It was quite a few years ago.