Hobart, Australia, Sep 12, 2019 / 14:00 pm
The leader of Tasmania's Catholic Church said priests in his archdiocese will not comply with a law that would require them to break the seal of confession to report suspected child abuse.
The law, passed earlier this week, makes religious ministers mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse, and requires Tasmanians with knowledge of abuse to report the crime to police, or face prison time.
Porteous said that priests are "unable" to violate the seal of confession under any circumstances, according to Australia's ABC News.
"I believe the Tasmanian bill will not strengthen protections for children and vulnerable people, but it will have the opposite effect - as offenders will be less likely to come forward to confess serious sins for fear of being reported," the archbishop added.