Catholic priests in WA will be forced to break the seal of the confession to report child sexual abuse, with the State Government set to take the historic step of introducing mandatory reporting laws.

But the laws put the Government on a collision course with Rome, with the Church standing firm in its refusal to change rules around the sacred rite. Child Protection Minister Simone McGuirk said legislation would be introduced in the second half of this year to amend the Children and Community Services Act to require ministers of religion to report child sexual abuse, including where they have gained this knowledge through religious confession.

“Priests who believe child sex abuse is occurring should report it and they should be held accountable if they fail to do so,” she said.

Camera Icon Child Protection Minister Simone McGuirk says mandatory reporting legislation will be introduced in the second half of 2019. Credit: Danella Bevis / The West Australian

Religious officials found guilty of failing to report would face a maximum penalty of $6000 but, more crucially, would be saddled with a criminal record and likely banned from working with children.

The changes follow recommendations by the royal commission into institutional child abuse, which targeted the confessional seal as one of the main factors in allowing abuse to go unreported.

The Catholic Church has already said it will not change secrecy laws around confession. Perth Catholic Archbishop Timothy Costelloe warned last year that under canon law, a priest faced excommunication for violating the seal.

Camera Icon Perth Catholic Archbishop Timothy Costelloe says that if the law is changed a child abuser will simply not go to confession. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper

He has said if the law was changed a child abuser would simply not go to confession.

The NT and SA already require ministers of religion to report child sexual abuse. The ACT and Tasmania are also changing laws.

The new reporting requirements would apply to all religious officials including priests, ministers, imams, rabbis, pastors and Salvation Army officers.

Mandatory reporting laws already apply to other professionals working with children, including doctors and teachers.