Perth comedian Tim Minchin has released a song to raise funds to send child sexual abuse survivors to Rome to see Cardinal Pell give evidence via videolink to Australia’s Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.
The GoFundMe campaign, Send Ballarat Survivors To Rome, has been shared over 7,000 times and raised over $120,000. The website says:
“The City of Ballarat has come under the spotlight of the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Abuse as an epicentre of abuse over many years. Cardinal George Pell was due to give evidence in Ballarat but is too ill to travel, missing the chance to not only give evidence in person but provide hope to the whole city. The survivors of Ballarat and District child abuse feel that a face-to-face hearing is important for healing and understanding.
“With the news that Cardinal Pell could not come here, it seems appropriate to get the survivors to Rome to sit in front of Pell as he gives evidence. Cardinal Pell is due to give evidence on February the 29th so they don’t have much time. The opportunity to face Cardinal Pell is the least our community can do for these brave people who have bared their souls to ensure the world is a safer place for all children.
“To send representatives of the survivors and their support staff as well as Ballarat representatives, they need to raise $55,000 dollars to cover flights, accommodation and food for fifteen people.”
To help the cause Minchin has created a charity single to raise more funds:
The song has been well received on Twitter:
You are a national treasure, @timminchin. x — Tara Moss (@Tara_Moss) February 16, 2016
This is the soundtrack for my show day train ride – https://t.co/mlFLqlbm26 – lovely work as always @timminchin
— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) February 16, 2016
George, come home, and sue us all. @timminchin nails George Pell’s sick cowardice https://t.co/LfO1ABMuhC — Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) February 16, 2016
Great job #Tim Minchin https://t.co/EjuDXxyhx8
— Frank Golding (@GoldingFrank) February 17, 2016
@timminchin damn you. I can’t get your Pell song out of my head. Great work. Anthem for next week’s @CARoyalComm hearing perhaps. — Shannon Deery (@s_deery) February 17, 2016
The genius that is Tim Minchin…and the pond scum that is George Pell. https://t.co/WTUFPzsNx9
— Ron Barns (@barnsyrocket) February 17, 2016
