(AUSTRALIA)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation - ABC [Sydney, Australia]
November 26, 2025
By Eden Hynninen
In short:
Regional Anglican dioceses are facing financial strain after paying compensation to abuse victim-survivors.
In the Ballarat diocese, seven properties have been sold and a parish has been closed.
What’s next?
The Anglican Bishop of Ballarat Garry Weatherill says about $6 million has been paid out already and anticipates more than $1 million remains to be paid to more claimants.Link copiedShare article
The Anglican Bishop of Ballarat says regional dioceses around Australia are facing financial pressure and potential closure due to having to pay millions of dollars to abuse victim-survivors.
In his 2025 “presidential address” Bishop Garry Weatherill said his diocese is in a “very difficult” financial position after having to pay almost $6 million to survivors of abuse over the past decade.
He said the diocese had sold all of its Ballarat properties and one in Warrnambool to help pay victim-survivors through civil claims and a redress scheme.
The Sebastopol parish has also closed and the diocese’s financial reserves have been exhausted, Bishop Weatherill said.
He said he anticipated more than $1 million remains to be paid to more claimants.
“We cannot know if there might be more cases that emerge, although I remain hopeful that the worst of this wave is coming to an end,” he said in his address.
“I have been at pains to shield the diocese from this information, because it is very disturbing, and because some of those who have been offenders have been much admired people in our diocesan community.”
Bishop Weatherill told the ABC the diocese was responding to claims of “bad behaviour mainly in the distant past”.
“This generation has the task and the responsibility of trying to respond as well as we can to people who have been damaged by the church,” he said.
“We realise it’s something we’re required to do, morally right, but I’m hopeful that there are certainly no more cases, no new cases emerging.”
‘A pretty tricky future’
Bishop Weatherill said there are 23 dioceses around the country, and the rural churches are all under some financial stress.
“If they’ve had a larger number of claims, there’s more stress,” he said.
“The Diocese of North Queensland has gone into receivership, and there are a couple of other dioceses that don’t have much in the way of reserves, and they’re facing a pretty tricky future.”
But he said he is confident the Diocese of Ballarat can regroup.
“We do anticipate having to sell more properties and be much more fiscally careful,”
he said.
Bishop Weatherill said the diocese was ensuring it did not cut services and programs in its efforts to pay its bills, such as hospital and nursing home chaplains and visits, a breakfast and emergency food program in Warrnambool, and a club for neurodivergent children in Camperdown.
‘Gag and silence them’
Judy Courtin is a lawyer and advocate for survivors of sexual and institutional abuse and said all institutions need to focus on its victims.
“If the Anglican diocese is putting victims and survivors first, I would commend them,”
Dr Courtin said.
“All diocese and institutions must put the interests and the lives of victim-survivors before their assets.”
She said sadly she was finding the number of people coming forward was increasing.
“More and more people are now finding the incredible courage to speak up,” she said.
“Paedophiles know how to silence their victims, they mess with their little mind and basically gag and silence them.”