Safer Ministry

Movers Shay, D

Ms Dianne Shay moved, Bishop Greg Anderson seconded

That the General Synod:
(a) welcomes resolutions 16.25, 16.26, 16.27 and 16.28 passed by the Anglican Consultative Council in April 2016 (ACC-16) and requests the General Secretary to convey this resolution to the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury;
(b) commends the National Council of Churches in Australia for organising the Safe as Churches? 7 and the Safe as Churches? 8 conferences on sexual misconduct and abuse in the Australian churches, and supports ongoing joint action by member churches and other participating Australian churches to promote the welfare and safety of all people within their communities. The General Synod requests the General Secretary to convey this resolution to the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia;
(c) recommends that the Commonwealth Government promote a national system for child protection, and that State and Territory governments as a matter of urgency enact legislation for a national system for child protection that provides for:
(i) the mandatory reporting of child abuse by persons including ministers of religion to the police and the government child protection authorities;
(ii) the screening of all persons seeking to work with children in a paid or voluntary capacity;
(iii) the mutual recognition of clearances for persons to work with children in all States and Territories: and
(d) requests that the General Secretary forward the terms of this resolution to the Prime Minister, the Premier or Chief Minister of each State and Territory and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse forthwith.

4 September 2017

Resolution year: 2017
Resolution number: 21/17