AUSTRALIA
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
2/04/2012
by Staff writer
The Cummins Report, which was the outcome of an inquiry into the protection of vulnerable children in Victoria, was released on 28 February. The Report made 90 recommendations, including that the reporting of child abuse should be mandatory for clergy, and that a separate inquiry should be conducted into religious organisations.
Archbishop Freier made the following media statement in response to the Report on 29 February:
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne strongly welcomes the intent of the Cummins Report which is to improve outcomes for Victoria’s vulnerable children.
The Diocese is presently working through the detail and recommendations of the report but can confirm that:
•Clergy and church workers within the Diocese of Melbourne have an existing obligation to report criminal offences and matters of child sexual abuse;
•The Anglican Church takes its responsibilities to the community very seriously and has well established and independent processes for complaints and reporting;
•The Anglican Church strongly welcomes any measure which strengthens protection for vulnerable children, and in 2009 the Church undertook an independent study of child sexual abuse within the Anglican Church of Australia, the findings of which were made public and made available in June 2009.
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