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A SOPHISTICATED pedophile network involving former politicians and police has been operating in Victoria since the 70s, anti-child-abuse campaigners claimed yesterday. Reina Michaelson, head of the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program, and Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said victims had told them of an organised child pornography and prostitution network with links to former MPs and senior police officers.

The claims a paedophile ring was operating under the protection of police came after the Victorian Ombudsman released a damning report on the conduct of four child sex abuse investigations, leading to a review of the operations of the sexual crimes squad. Two experienced members of the squad will be investigated over their role in the abuse cases, which are being reopened.

The inquiry found the officers failed to adequately examine several child abuse allegations and concluded they may have lied under oath to investigators from the Ombudsman’s office. The Ombudsman found officers from the squad told the Education Department a teacher had been cleared of abuse allegations, despite conducting no investigation into the claims.

In a separate case, a senior detective blamed a 12-year-old girl for encouraging a man who had allegedly abused her and another officer described the victim as “a little slut”.

The Ombudsman’s inquiry followed complaints from Dr Michaelson, who gave a dossier of child abuse cases she claimed had been mishandled to police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon in late 2001.

Dr Michaelson, supported by Ms Johnston, called for the Ombudsman’s confidential report to be made public, and demanded a royal commission into child sexual abuse and police corruption. “When problems within Victoria Police are shown to have extended into the investigation of serious sex crimes against children, as has been revealed by the Ombudsman’s investigation, it is time for the Victorian Government to act,” she said. Dr Michaelson, a psychologist, said she was working with victims who had witnessed police protection of paedophile rings and had allegedly suffered abuse at the hands of officers.

Ms Johnston said she had met many of the victims, who independently named “high-profile individuals” as members of the organised pedophile network, including “former elected officials”.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Simon Overland said he would meet Dr Michaelson to discuss her claims. “I am aware allegations have been made in the past about police being responsible for sexual abuse, and obviously if these allegations are made they will be investigated … I don’t care who the perpetrator is, I don’t care if it’s a police officer,” Mr Overland said.

A spokesman for the Bracks Government said anyone with concerns about the conduct of any investigation was “encouraged to refer that matter to the Ombudsman”. Deputy Ombudsman Bob Seamer said the report could not be made public or tabled in parliament because it might identify victims of abuse.