Pell should give evidence: Shorten

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten believes Australia's most senior Catholic should return from Rome to give evidence to the child abuse royal commission.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten (pic) believes George Pell should give evidence at the royal commission. (AAP)

Cardinal George Pell should return home to give evidence before the royal commission into child sex abuse, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten believes.

Victims have called for Australia's most senior Catholic figure to return from Rome to face allegations made during hearings of the commission in Ballarat this week.

"I do believe that George Pell should help the royal commission and if that means coming back to Australia to co-operate with the royal commission he should," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.