Child Abuse Royal Commission: Anglican Church to Refund School Fees to Victims of Sexual Abuse at Schools in Brisbane Diocese
By Matt Eaton and Francis Tapim
The Anglican Church will reimburse tuition fees for all students who suffered sexual abuse at their schools within the Diocese of Brisbane, which covers much of southern Queensland. A diocese spokesman said a letter would be sent to school principals, possibly as early as today. To date, however, all abuse complaints lodged with the diocese have concerned St Paul's School in northern Brisbane. The fee refund announcement came after Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall received a letter by a woman whose brother was abused at the Anglican-run St Paul's, requesting his tuition fees be repaid. Dr Aspinall spoke to the woman outside the Brisbane hearings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which examined the conduct of school counsellor Kevin John Lynch and music teacher and convicted paedophile Gregory Robert Knight. Both worked at St Paul's during the 1980s and 1990s. The woman's brother gave evidence to the hearing and was identified as BRN. Dr Aspinall confirmed that BRN's school fees would be refunded. BRN's sister thanked the Archbishop for his compassionate response. Dr Aspinall later confirmed the diocese decided several weeks ago to adopt the policy of refunding school fees for all abuse victims within the diocese, which stretches from Coolangatta to Bundaberg and west to the Northern Territory border. "In fact, just recently the diocese and council adopted a policy to do that for any child who was abused in one of our schools," he said. "Where the parents want the fees refunded we will refund them." Dr Aspinall also urged school authorities to remain vigilant for signs of sexual abuse. "There is certainly need for vigilance now and I think the stories we are hearing now alert us to the ways in which these predatory paedophiles practise." To date, the Diocese of Brisbane has received three requests for fee refunds, all from parents of St Paul's students. The diocese spokesman said 68 former St Paul's students had approached the church saying they were survivors of abuse from teachers at the school. The spokesman said the Diocese of Brisbane had reached settlements with about 40 of those families, although it had no legal requirement to do so. One family has already had fees refunded and the other 67 families will now be eligible to have their fees returned. 'We did not do enough to help you' Appearing before the commission on its last Brisbane sitting day, former governor-general Peter Hollingworth apologised to those abused by Knight and Lynch.
"I am appalled by the abuse you suffered at the hands of two school staff members from St Paul's School," he said. "I am saddened about the way these matters were dealt with during my time as Archbishop. "I deeply regret that I did not press harder to have your complaints investigated more rigorously. "If I'd exercised stronger authority, they may have been addressed more promptly and in a better manner. "It is clear to me now that we did not do enough to help you ... and actions of the diocese and the school compounded your distress and suffering." Dr Hollingworth in May 2003 became the first governor-general in a century to resign, leaving after an independent report found he had mishandled sexual abuse claims while Brisbane's Archbishop.
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