General Synod Sessions
Nineteenth Session of General Synod – 9-14 August 2026
The Nineteenth Session of General Synod will be held in Melbourne on 9-14 August 2026.
Special Session of General Synod – 26 July 2025
The Primate has convened a special session of General Synod to consider the Bill for the General Synod Presence (Amendment) Canon 2025. The session will be conducted by video conference from 11.00am AEST on Saturday 26 July 2025.
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 26 July 2025
MEMBERS’ CIRCULARS
Circular 01 – Registration- 3 April 2025
Circular 02 – Legislation – 24 April 2025
LEGISLATION
Link – Bill and Explanatory Memorandum
Link – Canon with Tracked changes
Link – Amendment proposal form
BUSINESS PAPERS
Order of Business to be published on 11 July 2025
Past Sessions
18TH SESSION OF GENERAL SYNOD, 2022
The 18th Session of General Synod was held at RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland from 8 – 13 May 2022.
Initially to be held in 2020, it was postponed twice in response to the meeting and travel restrictions imposed in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Primate’s announcement on the deferment to 2022 is available here.
Program of the 18th Session of General Synod
Members of the 18th Session of General Synod
Resolutions of the 18th Session of General Synod
ORDER OF BUSINESS
LEGISLATION
REPORTS
Book 2 – Standing Committee report to General Synod
Book 3 – Standing Committee Financial Report
Book 4 – Reports of General Synod Bodies
ELECTIONS
Notice of Elections at the 18th Session of General Synod
ELECTION RESULTS
MINUTES
MEDIA RELEASES
GS18 Media Release 1 – Climate
GS18 Media Release 2 – Domestic Violence
GS18 Media Release 3 – Statement on Marriage
GS18 Media Release 4 – Raising the age of criminal responsibility
17TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 2017
The 17th General Synod was held from 3-8 September 2017 at Novotel Twin Waters Resort, Maroochydore Queensland.
Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM, Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, presented at a conference session of the Seventeenth Session of General Synod. View the Commissioner’s speech here.
RESOLUTIONS OF GS17
Resolutions of the Seventeenth Session of the General Synod
GS17 LEGISLATION
A list of canons, rules and protocols passed at GS17 can be found here.
MINUTES
Minutes of Day 5
MEDIA RELEASES:
GS17 Media Release 1 – Abuse apology
GS17 Media Release 2 – Child protection
GS17 Media Release 3 – Redress for survivors of abuse
GS17 Media Release 4 – Family violence
GS17 Media Release 5 – Refugees
BUSINESS PAPERS:
Order of Business Day 5
Book 2 – Standing Committee Report
Book 4 – Reports of General Synod Bodies
Book 5 – Bills – Child Protection
Members of General Synod Seventeenth Session
Program of General Synod Seventeenth Session
GS17 BIBLE STUDY PRESENTATIONS
Day 1 – The Rt Rev’d Dr Michael Stead
Day 2 – The Rev’d Canon Dr Matthew Anstey
Day 3 – The Rev’d Canon Prof Dorothy Lee
Day 4 – The Rev’d Canon Dr John Dunnill
16TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 2014
Book 1 – Synod Process & Elections
Book 3 – Standing Committee Reports
Book 4 – Standing Committee Financial Report
Book 5 – Reports of General Synod Bodies & Other Bodies
Book 6 – Information for Synod Members
Book 7 – Supplementary Materials
Book 8 – Report of Viability & Structures Task Force
15TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 2010
Book 1 – Synod Process and Elections
Book 3 – Standing Committee Reports
Book 4 – Standing Committee Financial Report
Book 5 – Reports of General Synod Bodies & Other Bodies
Book 6 – Information for Synod Members
14TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 2007
13TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD, 2004