The Catholic Weekly 24 January 2021

$2 There are serious allegations relating to the alleged use of funds in the Pell matter and as I have said from the outset, they will have significant consequences if they are true. ” Senator Fierravanti-Wells QUESTIONS REMAIN over payments made to Australian bank accounts from the Vat- ican in recent years, despite the country’s financial watch- dog’s “spectacular” miscal- culation of the transferred amounts. Senator Concetta Fierra- vanti-Wells, who has been pushing for an investigation into alleged suspicious trans- fers from the Vatican to Victo- ria around the time Cardinal George Pell faced historical abuse charges, told The Catho- lic Weekly that AUSTRAC’s international reputation has been damaged following the “discrepancy” uncovered in its reporting of Vatican funds. After a joint review con- ducted with the Vatican fi- nancial intelligence agency, AUSTRAC admitted a “cod- ing error” led to it mistakenly reporting AU$2.3 billion had been transferred from the Vatican to Australia, when the actual figure was AU$9.5 mil- lion. “I have placed further questions on notice to AUS- TRAC and I am awaiting an- swers including about where the Vatican funds went and for what purpose,” Senator Fi- erravanti-Wells said. “There are serious allega- tions relating to the alleged use of funds in the Pell matter and as I have said from the outset, they will have significant con- sequences if they are true. “Accordingly, all relevant law enforcement authorities need to expedite pursuit of the facts and undertake full and appropriate investigations.” Labor MP Daniel Mulino said that the error calls into question AUSTRAC’s sys- tems and that the Australian Government needed to be able to provide figures the public could be confident in “as quickly as possible”. AUSTRAC in a statement said that the “statistical data dis- crepancy has had no impact on the information received and disclosed to AUSTRAC’s Australian and international law enforcement partners, or on AUSTRAC’s financial intel- ligence and regulatory work”. Inastatementto TheCatholic Weekly the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said it “continues to analyse financial intelligence received fromAUSTRAC” in re- lation to thematter. “The AFP will continue to work with AUSTRAC to analyse financial intelligence holdings and will remain in contact with Victoria Police and the Victori- an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruptionCommission in terms of the intelligence review where appropriate,” the AFP statement said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Funds questions linger AUSTRAC’S international reputation seriously damaged by massive “discrepancy” says Senator ¾ Marilyn Rodrigues THE ORDER of Malta Volunteers need more hands in the vital distri- bution of masks, water and hygienic items for Sydney’s homeless during COVID-19. “We are desperate for more vol- unteers,” said volunteer Dalton Fogharty. “We are looking for partnerships with Universities out there. Also chaplaincy programmes - we would love to get in contact.” The Order originated in the Middle Ages running hospitals in Jerusalem. The Order’s charism, therefore, is both the care of the sick and poor and the defence of the Christian faith. “We can be some of the only peo- ple the homeless talk to in the week,” said volunteer Dunstan De Souza. To register as a volunteer visit www.orderofmalta.org.au GO ONLINE! Full story: www.catholicweekly. com.au ¾ David Ryan Order stands by Sydney’s homeless 24, January, 2021 THE DISASTER WE CALL THE PILL STAYING HUMANE IN A PANDEMIC P3 Be a Neighbour to those in need Become a Regular Giver Today Call Caritas Australia on 1800 024 413 or visit caritas.org.au/neighbours P7