AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
By JASON GORDON June 17, 2015
THE Anglican Bishop of Newcastle has admitted that church leaders knew about a culture of bullying and child abuse within the diocese and worked to conceal those offences.
In an emotional media conference at Lambton on Wednesday, Bishop Greg Thompson conceded that the church had failed abuse victims, and that he is now working with police and the Royal Commission to right the ‘‘wrongs of the past’’.
Today marks 500 days since he became the Bishop of Newcastle, he said, but during that time he had ‘‘discovered that our culture allowed bullying and abuse but was mostly silent about it’’.
‘‘Our culture allowed people to conceal what had happened,’’ he said.
‘‘I have heard these stories first hand. I believe we will hear recollections of anguish and harm for many years to come.’’
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