Archbishop Herft denies protecting defrocked priest at child sexual abuse royal commission

By David Marchese
ABC News
August 29, 2016

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-29/royal-commission-anglican-church-archbishop-herft/7789290?section=wa

Archbishop Herft was questioned about his time as Bishop of Newcastle between 1993 and 2005.

Father Peter Rushton died in 2007 without ever being convicted.

One of Australia's most senior Anglicans, the Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft, has denied protecting a former priest accused of child sexual abuse. Archbishop Herft is being questioned about his time as Bishop of Newcastle between 1993 and 2005 at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.The Newcastle case study is examining the way the local Anglican diocese responded to allegations of child sexual abuse made against clergy and lay members of the church.

The counsel assisting the commission, Naomi Sharp, questioned Archbishop Herft about allegations of abuse made against the de-frocked former Newcastle Dean Graeme Lawrence in the 1990s.

The Archbishop admitted he "would have" met with Mr Lawrence regarding allegations that he had sexually abused boys but said he had no recollection of the conversation.

"Do you have any explanation whatsoever as to why you have no recollection of this meeting?" Ms Sharp asked Archbishop Herft.

He replied: "No."

Archbishop Herft also denied any memory of discussions with the former Archbishop of Sydney, Harry Goodhew, about the allegations against Mr Lawrence but said he "had no reason to doubt his statement".

He conceded he first received a complaint from a family about Mr Lawrence in 1995, before speaking with former Archbishop Goodhew two years later, and was made aware of similar allegations against Mr Lawrence in 1999.

He agreed he would have spoken with Mr Lawrence on all three occasions.

Asked by commission chair Justice Peter McClellan why file notes were not made of the conversations, Archbishop Herft denied records were not taken to protect the diocese later.

"Then perhaps it is also open to the suggestion that you actually didn't take these matters as seriously as you should because you didn't note them," Justice McClellan said.

The Archbishop was then asked by Ms Sharp whether he was protecting Mr Lawrence.

"Certainly not," he replied.

Ms Sharp asked: "Are you intimidated by Graeme Lawrence?"

Archbishop Herft denied the suggestion.

In 2012 Mr Lawrence was defrocked, along with reverends Bruce Hoare and Andrew Duncan over what was described as "disturbing" allegations of abuse that allegedly occurred in the 70s and 80s.

Archbishop Herft was asked about the alleged abuse of an altar boy in the 1970s and subsequent criminal proceedings against the priest accused of the abuse.

CKA gave evidence to the royal commission earlier this month, saying he was sexually abused by a priest, known to the commission as CKC.

Legal proceedings against the priest began in 2000 but charges were later withdrawn and the case was no billed.

Archbishop Herft was asked about why CKC was represented in the criminal proceedings by Paul Rosser QC and Keith Allen, who both held senior roles in the Newcastle diocese.

"I and the church failed miserably in our response to CKA, in not providing pastoral care," he said. "I acknowledge that and I'm deeply saddened by what took place."

The commission has previously heard that CKC may face a retrial.

Archbishop Herft has also been questioned about the dead paedophile priest Peter Rushton who worked in the Hunter Valley for decades.

The Archbishop agreed he would have been made aware about abuse allegations against Rushton and several other people in 2003.

He admitted by then he would have been made aware of three allegations against the notorious priest, including reports he had sexually abused another priest's son.

Ms Sharp asked: "There were alarm bells ringing about Peter Rushton by 2003, weren't there?"

Archbishop Herft answered: "That is true. I seriously believed that he had changed in terms of his own life and ministry."

Ms Sharp pressed the matter: "Why weren't these allegations in 2003 about Peter Rushton reported to the police? Do you accept responsibility for the fact that it wasn't reported to the police?"

The Archbishop responded: "Yes I do."

Rushton died in 2007 without having ever faced child sexual abuse charges.

The hearing wrapped up for the day with Archbishop Herft still in the witness box.

It will resume tomorrow morning.