AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald
Joanne McCarthy
4 Jul 2017
FORMER Newcastle Anglican Bishop Roger Herft ran up a legal bill of nearly $500,000 defending himself during a devastating royal commission public hearing into child sex allegations in the Hunter region – but Newcastle diocese is only paying $5000 of it.
Perth Anglican priests and parishioners are reportedly furious that the Western Australian church has paid the bill after Newcastle Anglican diocese insurers declined to pay the former Perth archbishop’s legal expenses.
The rejection of liability in May came as a shock to many in Perth, media accounts in Western Australia have said.
In a statement released by the Perth diocese a spokesperson indicated it also came as a surprise to the diocese.
“Diocesan leaders were working on the assumption that most of the legal expenses relating to preparing for and attending the various public hearings… would be recovered through a claim on the Diocese of Newcastle’s insurers,” the spokesperson said.
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