Steely, where does it say on OLO that YOU know anything about anything.
The points being made are reasonable, irrespective of your opinions.
I can speak with authority on the subject and YES the police are corrupt as are the politicians, as are the union leaders, now c'mon, debunk those statements.
What gets my goat is that I know that you agree but pride and petulance stop you from admitting it.
The weak link in your argument is to believe a scum sucking politician.
Your stance proves there are aliens walking amongst us, you are one.
If you want to challenge comments made that your precious sensitivities are ruffled, then do so with pragmatism and conviction, not with sarcasm and innuendo.
I state that if Pell can get 'crucified' (pun intended) by a 'kangaroo court' and a very flawed legal system, then Shorten should have suffered the same fate as anyone else you simpletons deem 'disgusting'.
As for going 'hell for leather', mate, Foxy, like yourself and the rest of your virtuous lot, because you are all so perfect, can and you know what, because if you are so stupid and blind as to defend the police, and the judiciary, I feel sorry for you all.
You have NO idea what really goes on in 'the system'.
You people are the epitome of mushrooms, 'kept in dark, and fed sh!t'.
May God have pity on your souls.

ALTRAV,

Thanks for that. I didn't watch Four Corners, but the lack of talk about evidence just follows the same theme because there is probably no evidence; nothing to substantiate the hearsay. I certainly have not seen any report of corroborating evidence in any media. If there has been any, I have missed it. There is certainly nothing remotely evidential from the witch-hunters here. There is no evidence of his 'historical' paedophilia either; the accusations were investigated and dismissed because of lack of evidence.

Regarding reporting times for instances of abuse, in the case of me and my mates, we told our parents almost immediately (certainly within two days) and our fathers had taken action within a week and the relevant Church authorities acted immediately after questioning the offending Brother.

We knew that what was done was wrong so reported it, our word was accepted, after comparing each child's version of events, and then acted upon.

"He will go down in history as a convicted paedophile."

Being a paedophile (or having any other sexual desires) is not a criminal offence in Australia, so Pell could not have been convicted for it.

Rather, he was convicted for the sexual abuse of two boys, yet the court never determined his motivation, if indeed he committed the said acts, and there can be quite a few possible motivations, other than sexual attraction, for doing the same.

Vengeance for example, against the boys' trespassing and wine-theft is also quite a likely motive, which I consider much worse and more harmful than sexual attraction. Or perhaps Pell had an urgent urge to relieve himself sexually after the mass, for which he rushed into the sacristy but unexpectedly found the boys in the way: not justified either, obviously, but possible. Some adults may even do so for money (like prostitutes who do not reject underage clients) and though relatively rare, there are also cases when an adult is blackmailed by a child into sexual activities: children are not always such innocent angels, these two certainly were not.

Is Mise,

Homosexuality is a sexual attraction between members
of the same sex or gender. Pedophilia is a psychiatric
disorder in which an adult experiences an exclusive
sexual attraction to pre-pubescent children. Homosexuality
is based on sex. Pedophilia is based on age.
Cardinal Pell was convicted of pedophilia.

Senator Kristina Keneally on Monday night's emotional
episode of "Q&A" stated:

"Anyone who is passing comment on the jury verdict unless
they were in the room every day and heard everything the
jury heard, and had access to all the information the
jury had, they're actually doing a great disservice.
They're doing a disservice to our democratic jury system
and I am quite surprised and distressed that people like
John Howard and Tony Abbott but particularly John Howard
are running the type of commentary and providing support
publicly for Cardinal Pell following his conviction."

"I think it's disrespectful of the jury verdict. I also
would reflect it's quite disrespectful of victims."

She then pointed out that the main reason victims often
fail to come forward is because they don't think they're
going to be believed. The convicted pedophile - Ridsdale
would have continued sexually abusing children had his
victims not been believed. We've had a legal process. Due
process. A trial. A jury has rendered a decision.

And as the Senator said - now we have people out there
creating doubt on that decision because they say they know
this man and they don't believe he could have done it.
They make the claims there was no evidence - how do they
know what was presented to the jury - they were not there
and the suppression order by Pell's lawyers was very telling.

We should all have faith in the integrity of our legal
system. Of course the Cardinal has a right to lodge his
appeal and we can believe it will be treated appropriately.
But the disregard that is being shown to the jury and the
disrespect that is being shown to victims by this public
commentary is quite extraordinary.

Dear Philip S,

No mate it is your comprehension skills which are so evidently bereft.

Trying attempted to intimidate Foxy by flagging legal ramifications.

The point was made that right now Foxy could go for it. I did not refer to post a successful appeal. So at this moment Bill Shorten has been told there is not a case to answer and you are directly libelling him. That puts you far more in the frame than Foxy would ever be.

I still sit in awe of the stupidity of the statement.

Dear ALTRAV,

Mate taking this personally is hardly advancing the debate is it.

Look at this cacophony from you;

'As for going 'hell for leather', mate, Foxy, like YOUrself and the rest of YOUr virtuous lot, because YOU are all so perfect, can and YOU know what, because if YOU are so stupid and blind as to defend the police, and the judiciary, I feel sorry for YOU all. YOU have NO idea what really goes on in 'the system'. YOU people are the epitome of mushrooms, 'kept in dark, and fed sh!t'.'

You, your, yourself, but mostly 'you' repeated over and over again. It comes off as the blatherings of a narcissist.

Care to try again?