The commission did not delineate specific proofs for its conclusion.
The commission also said that Pell would have known about allegations of abuse made against Fr. Peter Searson, who was active as a Melbourne priest during Pell's time as an auxiliary bishop in the Melbourne archdiocese.
In 1989, Pell held a meeting with representatives from the parish and school in Doveton, where Searson was assigned. During that meeting a number of complaints were made against Searson but, according to Pell, sexual misconduct with children was not raised, and Searson's removal was not requested.
Following Pell's installation as Archbishop of Melbourne in 1996, Pell placed Searson on administrative leave and removed him from parish ministry in 1997. Searson died in 2009 and was never charged by police.
A spokesman for Victoria Police, which brought charges against Pell leading to his imprisonment for more than a year before the High Court freed him last month, told the Guardian that the newly released sections of the report would be studied and police would "undertake an assessment of those findings."
"At this time it would not be appropriate to comment further about any possible action," The spokesman said.
Current Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli released his own statement in response to the new material from the commission, in which he repeated his previous apologies "for the failure of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne to responsibly care for and protect our young people and vulnerable adults."
"Child safety and care is not a project with an end date", Comensoli said, but a project that "requires life-long vigilance."
In December 2018, Pell was convicted of five counts of sexual abuse, but was acquitted by the Australian High Court last monthl. Following that decision, the redacted portions of the commission's findings were released.
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