Royal Commission releases details about hearing into the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle

ABC News
July 5, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-05/royal-commission-release-details-about-hearing-in-newcastle/7570592

The Royal Commission hearing will begin next month.

More details have been released about the scope of Royal Commission hearings into child sexual abuse to be held in Newcastle next month.

The hearing, starting on August 2, will look at the past and present systems, policies and practices within the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle for responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.

In particular it will look at the response by the diocese to allegations made against a number of clergy and lay people, including Graeme Lawrence, Gregory Goyette, Andrew Duncan, Bruce Hoare, Graeme Sturt, Peter Rushton, Ian Barrack, James Michael Brown and another Anglican priest.

In 2012 , then Bishop Brian Farran defrocked the former Dean of Newcastle, Graeme Lawrence, along with Reverends Bruce Hoare and Andrew Duncan over what he described as "disturbing" allegations of abuse that allegedly occurred in the 70s and 80s.

He also banned Reverend Graeme Sturt from the Ministry for five years.

Father Peter Rushton worked across the Diocese from 1963 to 2007, in Cessnock, Wyong, Weston, Wallsend, Lake Macquarie and Maitland.

Allegations of sexual abuse involving Father Rushton only came to light after the priest's death in 2007.

Church worker James Michael Brown was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years jail for abusing 20 boys between the 1970s and 1990s.

The hearing will investigate links between any institutional culture at St John's College Morpeth and the perpetration of child sexual abuse.

The Royal Commission said anyone wanting to give evidence at the hearing must apply by July 18.

The hearing in Newcastle is expected to go for two weeks.