AUSTRALIA
The Guardian (UK)
Melissa Davey
@MelissaLDavey
Friday 12 May 2017
The Anglican church of Newcastle has told its members it may sell some of its assets to meet redress payments for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
In a background briefing document sent to the church’s members before a Synod meeting on 27 May, the bishop Peter Stuart said the Synod must renew its commitment to facing abuse within the church.
“We fully support the establishment of a best practice Commonwealth Redress Scheme for abuse survivors and will do all that we can to enable the Diocese to exercise the option to ‘opt in’ into the scheme,” the document, seen by Guardian Australia, says.
“We welcome the fact that the scheme will be independent of the Church and will assist survivors access the support and counselling they seek.”
The Synod meeting will occur one week after the retiring bishop Greg Thompson delivers his final service in Newcastle. Thompson had announced that he would stand down in May, citing the unrelenting abuse he received for helping the child sexual abuse royal commission gather information. He also told his own story of abuse, and faced subsequent harassment from members of his own church for doing so.
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