Brothers' deaths to heaters laws

Tyler and Chase Robinson who died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Source: The Daily Telegraph

A CORONIAL inquest has begun into the deaths of two young brothers following a carbon monoxide leak from a heater in their country Victorian home.

Six-year-old Tyler Robinson and eight-year-old Chase Robinson died in May 2010 after a leak from a gas heater in their Shepparton home.

The inquest in Shepparton yesterday heard extraction fans may have contributed to the problem at the home, which was "well sealed" and lacked ventilation.

The responsibilities of landlords, real estate agents and trades people will be examined as part of the inquest with maintenance and changes to the home being a key issue.

The owner of the property, Jeffrey Watt, lived in the house from 2000 to 2007 before leasing it to Vanessa Robinson and her two boys.

He told the inquest he had received three reminders that maintenance should be carried out on gas or electric heaters following routine inspections during Ms Robinson's tenancy, but he thought they were simply generic letters.

"Having lived there, I know the condition of the house. That swayed our decision there," Mr Watt told the Victorian Coroners Court.

He said two maintenance requests were made while Ms Robinson was in the home and both had been granted.

"Anything that was asked to be done, we had done," Mr Watt said.

He said in his statement that during the time he and his wife lived in the property there was no trouble with the heater.

"The heater never played up on us other than it was too hot," he said.

He said they had discussed the need to service the heater not long before the death of the two boys.

"Unfortunately we had discussed it not terribly prior to the incident happening," Mr Watt said.

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Brothers 'can't accept pedophile's guilt'

Archbishop Denis Hart ignored reports that a pedophile might have been working at a college.     Source: Sunday Herald Sun

MANY Christian brothers refuse to accept that one of their ranks is guilty of the child sex crimes for which he was convicted, a Victorian inquiry has been told.

Members of the order also lack sympathy for sex abuse victims, Christian brother and researcher Dr Barry Coldrey told the parliamentary inquiry into sexual abuse within religious organisations.

Dr Coldrey said some brothers had not accepted that Robert Best, who was convicted over the abuse of 11 boys over a 20-year period, was a pedophile.

"Even at this moment there are many brothers who refuse to believe that Robert Best is guilty," he told the inquiry in Melbourne on Friday.

He said some would still visit Best in prison.

Best was in 2011 found guilty of 21 charges, including the rape of a nine-year-old disabled boy, and later pleaded guilty to a further six.

All 27 charges related to 11 boys he taught at St Alipius primary school in Ballarat, St Leo's College in Box Hill, and St Joseph's College in Geelong between 1969 and 1988.

Dr Coldrey told the inquiry that the order had little sympathy for victims of sexual abuse.

"At the moment, the mood is sullen, angry and certainly little sympathy is expressed for victims," he said.

"No one ever won an election in the Christian Brothers by expressing sympathy for victims."

Dr Coldrey said his concerns that a convicted pedophile was working at Monash University's Mannix College were ignored by senior clergy members, including Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart.

Residences at the college were rented out to non-university students for four months of the year.

"Everybody who had a say took the cover-up option," Dr Coldrey said.

"Denis (Hart) took the cover-up option."

Dr Coldrey said he was not sure if the man was still working at the college under an assumed name.

The inquiry resumes in Melbourne on Monday.

Br Brian Brandon, the executive officer for professional standards for Christian Brothers Oceania, rejected that there was little sympathy within the Christian Brothers ranks for sex abuse victims.

In a statement, Br Brandon said he met regularly with victims and Mr Coldrey was out of touch with reality and his statements were unsubstantiated.

Br Brandon said the Christian Brothers expressed care and concern for victims.

He also offered an apology on behalf of the Christian Brothers to Archbishop Denis Hart for comments made about him by Mr Coldrey, who testified that senior clergy members including Archbishop Hart, ignored concerns that a convicted pedophile was working at Monash University's Mannix College.

Archbishop Denis Hart said the allegation raised by Br Coldrey was false.

"I emphatically reject his allegation that I have been involved in a cover up of a suspected paedophile at Mannix College, Monash University or that there was any cover up," he said in a statement.

"These untrue claims unfairly malign all the hard working staff at Mannix College."

Archbishop Hart said Br Coldrey was a part-time volunteer at Mannix College for a number of years until the end of 2010.

He said while he was volunteering at Mannix College, Br Coldrey alleged there may have been a paedophile working at the college but the allegation was shown to have no substance.

He said all Mannix College staff hold a current Working With Children Check.

Archbishop Hart said he looked forward to his opportunity to appear before the inquiry.

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