SNAP made a very good point to me that it’s not a backflip by the Catholic Church.

Its not mandatory reporting if ‘exemptions would need to be made in some cases to protect legal, confessional or therapeutic privilege, the church said.’

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/catholic-church-in-nz-commits-to-sexual-abuse-changes-including-mandatory-reporting/JFEHZTGNCVBP5HDNMX4UMEH7SU/