The Anglican Church of Australia has reached in-principle agreement to join the National Redress Scheme, joining other churches in the announcement today by the Prime Minister, Mr Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Social Services, Mr Dan Tehan.
The Church’s General Synod Standing Committee has called on its dioceses, schools and agencies to join the scheme as soon as possible.
An independent, incorporated entity is being established to provide a single point of engagement with the Scheme and enable Anglican entities to join as part of a national group.
The dioceses of Melbourne, Brisbane and Tasmania have already resolved to join and others are expected soon as each diocese works through the necessary steps. Anglican schools and agencies are being provided with the detailed information to facilitate their decision to opt in.
The legislation to establish the scheme is still to be passed in the Commonwealth Parliament and the Church’s Standing Committee called for the scheme as legislated to be truly survivor-focused and consistent with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The Anglican Primate, Archbishop Philip Freier, said: “We know that some survivors of abuse have chosen not to engage in our present institutional redress schemes. We hope that our participation in the independent National Redress Scheme will offer a further step to healing.”
For more information, contact Barney Zwartz, bzwartz@melbourneanglican.org.au, or 0422 373 891.