Anglican Church anticipating approval this week to join National Redress Scheme

Tuesday February 26, 2019 – The Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, The Right Revd Dr Richard Condie, is expecting news this week that the Anglican Church of Tasmania has been approved to join the National Redress Scheme.

“In September last year our Church agreed to join the National Redress Scheme. Since that time we have been working to satisfy various regulatory requirements. We believe these have now been met and we are expecting to be part of the Scheme by the end of March,” said Bishop Condie.

The Federal Government encouraged churches to form representative bodies to join the NRS rather than each individual organisation joining separately. As such an Anglican participating group was formed to represent the Anglican Church of Australia.

“The Directors of the Anglican participating group will assess our application this Thursday, 28 February 2019,” said Bishop Condie. “It is highly likely that our application will be approved, and the Department of Social Services will receive the documentation in early March.”

In 2015 the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended a National Redress Scheme for all institutions. Their hope was that an accessible, independent, fair, accountable, and efficient scheme would be established to allow as many survivors as possible to access redress.

“I want to reaffirm our church’s commitment to the National Redress Scheme and acknowledge how important it is for survivors of child sexual abuse. Redress provides a measure of restorative justice to survivors, as well as recognition and support.

“We encourage those people who suffered abuse in the Anglican Church in the past to come forward to us or the National Redress Scheme,” said Bishop Condie.

The Anglican Church of Tasmania has instituted many changes over the last eighteen years in order to protect children and prevent abuse. The safety of children and vulnerable people in our church communities is paramount. The church has been working hard to screen, educate and develop church leaders and volunteers who are working with vulnerable people. We have improved our response to and support for survivors of sexual abuse.

We have no tolerance for abuse of any kind.

To report abuse call 1800 017 286.