A Warrnambool street honouring a Catholic priest who ignored a child sex abuse victim's claims will be renamed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Monsignor Leo Fiscalini was told by a victim she was being sexually abused in 1972 and he accused her of "telling lies" and left her in the care of her abuser who has since been jailed.
Fiscalini Drive will be renamed Toohey Drive in recognition of the previous owners who farmed the land before it was developed by the Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation.
Cr Peter Hulin told Monday night's council meeting that renaming the street in Toohey Estate was a long time coming.
He said the issue was brought to his attention about four years ago.
"It's extremely difficult for people who have gone to Monsignor Fiscalini in the past for help and have not been given help which has happened to lots of children in the past," he said.
"This person was not worthy of having any recognition.
"The naming of Fiscalini Drive was, in hindsight, a poor decision.
"When you are committed you can actually overturn things and make them right."
Cr Kylie Gaston said it was pleasing to see there was no community push back to the change and there were two submissions in support of it.
"Definitely this is going to be an administrative pain for residents, however the position of the victims has been understood and respected," she said.
Sixteen properties will now have to change their address on utility bills, mortgages and at the titles offices while emergency services will be notified of the changes.
"Fiscalini Drive will become a part of history instead of a live reminder to victims, Cr Gaston said.
A motion to begin the process of changing the street name was backed by all five councillors who were at Monday's meeting. It will cost the council between $5000 and $10,000
Monsignor Fiscalini, who passed away in 1995, was a parish priest for more than 13 years and had instigated the purchase of the Toohey Estate land in 1973.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuses acknowledged Fiscalini and former Bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns knew of complaints relating to pedophile Gerald Ridsdale in the 1970s but permitted him to continue working in the region.
Read More:
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
