Safe Ministry - Child Safety Regulatory Environment

Movers Mills, A

The General Synod, in the light of developing child safety regulatory requirements of States and Territories, requests the Standing Committee to establish a group to:
a. review the compliance, audit and reporting obligations of dioceses under the Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017 in light of the child safety regulatory requirements imposed on those dioceses by the laws of State and Territories applicable to them;
b. provide recommendations as to whether, and if so how, the requirements of the Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017 might be changed for dioceses now subject to a regime imposed by a State or Territory with requirements covering the same subject matter;
c. provide recommendations as to whether, and if so how, to exempt from compliance with the obligations in the Safe Ministry to Children Canon 2017 to dioceses subject to equivalent statutory requirements imposed by a State or Territory;
d. report to the Standing Committee at least twelve months prior to the Nineteenth Session of General Synod;
e. present for the approval of the Standing Committee instructions for any legislation to be drafted by the Church Law Commission for consideration at the Nineteenth Session of General Synod.

The group will consist of the follow persons appointed by the Standing Committee in consultation with the Safe Ministry Commission:
i. a chair;
ii. two representing dioceses in jurisdictions where there are statutory regulatory frameworks relating to child safe standards
iii. one from another Christian denomination with experience in undertaking child safety audit processes
one from the wider community with experience in child safety audit processes and who is not currently
iv. providing services as an employee or contractor to the Anglican Church of Australia or its diocesesv. four members of the Safe Ministry Commission.

Ms Audrey Mills moving, Ms Dianne Shay seconding

Resolution year: 2022
Resolution number: 46/18