The Anglican Church is now at the forefront of protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse, after agreeing to establish a comprehensive national register of complaints against its churchworkers.
"My vision is that the church, rather being known to have failed children, will be seen to be leaders in protecting children," Garth Blake SC told waiting media after General Synod agreed to the proposal in principle.
Mr Blake said he knew of no other similar register that was national in scope and covered such a broad definition of child abuse.
Experts said the register was a crucial step forward.
Philip Gerber, Director of Professional Standards for Sydney Diocese, said that he knew of past cases, including one involving a priest who was a multiple child sex offender, which would have been prevented by this national register.
Earlier, Mr Blake had told Synod that the definition of child abuse has been significantly expanded to include emotional, spiritual, and physical abuse (including neglect), not just child sexual abuse.
Spiritual abuse means calling on the name of God to mistreat a child.
Only three people in each diocese will have access to the register: the diocesan bishop, his delegate and the director of professional standards.
In seconding the proposal, Audrey Mills from Tasmania said "our first responsibility is to children and vulnerable adults… the church can not be effective in mission if that does not occur'.
After Mr Blake and Ms Mills finished their introductory speeches there was sustained applause from the Synod floor.
"If I interpret Synod properly," said Synod president Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, "they are thanking you for the level of detail and the care with which you have approached the issue."
Change eases clergy concerns
Due to the complexities involved, church lawyers later held an 11th hour huddle to iron out the nuts and bolts.
Concerns from clergy that their reputations may be unfairly tarnished by untested allegations were eased with a further bar added before complaints of child abuse or sexual misconduct could be added to the register.
The change means that a complaint will not be added to the register if a tribunal finds that on the balance of probabilities the content of the allegations did not occur.
"We are trying to balance two principles," said Mr Blake. "Protect the vulnerable and protect the innocent."
Federal inaction
Garth Blake told the press that the Anglican Church now needed the Federal Government to provide national leadership on the issue of child protection.
He said it was very difficult to navigate at least four different State regimes with different standards on mandatory reporting, which altered the risk of defamation.
"We would like to see the same urgency that has been given to the intervention in the Northern Territory," he said. "The protection of children is of such national importance."
Philip Gerber added that "the current Federal government has made it clear they are not interested in a national approach' and that Mr Rudd should be queried about his position.
