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Anglican Church's Intercourse Abuse Coverage Ignored, Inquiry Informed

Standard Times
November 20, 2015

http://www.salemstandard.com/anglican-churchs-sex-abuse-policy-ignored-inquiry-told/24336/

Philip Aspinall arrives at the royal commission. Photo: Robert Shakespeare

Only days after Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane Phillip Aspinall made a public promise to refund the tuition fees of school sex crime victims, an abuse survivor who made the request was rebuffed, an inquiry has heard.

A public hearing into the abuse of dozens of boys at two Queensland private schools heard that redress policies for victims in the Anglican system were ignored.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was told that an Anglican school abuse survivor who sought help on Monday was offered an apology rather than a refund of his school fees and told his counselling sessions would be rationed due to the expense.

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Kevin Kelso, a lawyer representing a number of sex abuse victims, cross-examined Dr Aspinall on whether the Anglican Church Southern Queensland was genuine in its offer to assist victims.

Mr Kelso told the commission that the sex abuse victim met Greg Milles, director of professional standards for the Anglican Church Southern Queensland on Monday, but a request for his fees to be repaid was declined.

"It was done in a way: ‘But can’t we just apologise? I don’t wish to refund the school fees but will an apology do?’" Mr Kelso said.

Dr Aspinall, who publicly announced that victims’ fees would be refunded outside the commission on November 13, said the refusal was contrary to the diocese’s new protocol.

"The clear policy of the diocese, adopted some weeks ago, was that where parents requested the refund of the school fees paid in relation to a student at one of our schools who had suffered child sexual abuse, those refunds would be made," he said.

He told the commission that parents of former Anglican school students had not yet been informed of the policy.

"It’s in the process of being communicated to the parents but I’d be very surprised if the director of professional standards does not understand that policy," he said.

The commission heard that the abuse survivor’s request for more intensive psychiatric counselling was also questioned by Mr Milles.

"He offered 10 psychology appointments to this particular victim during a meeting and when the victim said he thought that was inadequate, he might need a psychiatrist’s intervention, the offer of two psychiatry appointments was made because of the additional cost," Mr Kelso said.

In response, Dr Aspinall said it was practice "to provide whatever psychological and psychiatric support is needed … I’m not aware of any circumstances in which that has been declined".

In nine days of evidence in Brisbane, the commission heard dozens of boys were molested over decades at Brisbane Grammar School and St Paul’s School.

School counsellor Kevin John Lynch molested boys at both schools. He committed suicide in 1997 after being charged over sex offences.

In evidence, Dr Aspinall agreed that some compensation payments to victims may have been inadequate and they should be re-assessed.

"I think it’s entirely reasonable that there be a review of all the settlements by a completely independent umpire and if such an umpire recommends adjustments should be made, then I believe the diocese will be very open to making those adjustments," he said.

Former general manager of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane Bernard Yorke was unable to give evidence at Friday’s hearing on health grounds.

His evidence will be heard before Justice Jennifer Coate on November 30.

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