During the final day of Synod for 2007, Sydney Diocese has decided move in step with the Australian Anglican church on the issue of child protection.

Synod has voted to not consider the National Register Canon, which aims to protect children by registering those accused of committing abuse, until the canon is presented in its entirety to General Synod next month.

Garth Blake SC, chairperson of the General Synod's Professional Standards Commission, asked that the Synod not debate the finer points of the National Register Canon and moved a procedural motion against proposed adjustments to the canon, being put forward by Neil Cameron.

"Now is not the time to debate this. The reason being it is important you have available all the material to make an informed decision. At General Synod all members will have the material, can hear the debate, ask questions and move amendments. We should not pre-empt that," he says.

Mr Blake says Synod could make an informed resolution next year and that to accept Mr Cameron's motion would be to challenge the validity of a canon found valid by the Appellate Tribunal.

"Accepting the motion would detract from the efforts of this diocese to protect people. The headlines tomorrow would be "Synod covers up alleged abusers' or "Sydney undermines national sexual misconduct project'. This matter is too important to be dealt with until we have the opportunity to reflect and consider," he says.

Mr Cameron aired concern that the draft canon could be used to destroy people's reputations and ministries.

"Our real concern is its not that it's a register of sexual misconduct. It's a register of allegations, true or false and can be used by those with a view to destroying people," he says.

Sydney Diocese's Director of Professional Standards and Safe Ministry, Philip Gerber admits it is a complex process to find a balance between the protection of children and vulnerable people and the protection of people's reputations but says Sydney Synod 2007 was not the format to deal with the canon properly.

"We don't have any of the drafts. The process of General Synod and the input from other cities is an important part of the process," he says,

"Because it is a national register, we need to share information around the country regardless our differences in theology, churchmanship or geography. As painful as it is we need a process that works and it should happen at General Synod not here."

Synod upholds biblical marriage

A motion was moved by Evangelism Ministry's Lesley Ramsay and Moore College Vice Principal Bill Salier to affirm the biblical pattern for marriage.

The motion stated Synod affirms that the relationship of loving, sacrificial leadership of a husband and the intelligent, voluntary submission of a wife is the Biblical pattern of marriage and totally rejects the use of this biblical pattern to justify any form of domestic abuse.

Speeches were given by Liz McCoy from the parish of Austinmer, Philip Bradford from the parish of Hunters Hill and Bernard Stewart from the parish of Paddington, suggesting that some husbands may misinterpret words in scripture such as "leadership' and "submission' and see them as promoting domestic violence.

However, Mrs Ramsay, Anglicare CEO Peter Kell and Bishop Glenn Davies urged ministers to continue teaching congregations the biblical model for marriage and to teach against domestic abuse. The motion was passed.

Women’s debate to wait until 2008

The rector of St Mark’s, South Hurstville, the Rev Chris Albany, has bounced back after his efforts at Synod 2007 and once again moved a motion relating to women’s ministry. He was seconded by one of his parishioners, Miss Betty Allan, who gave a passionate speech in favour of women’s ordination.

Following an amendment moved by Robert Tong, a plea for unity rather than bitterness by the Rev Neil Flower and the advice of Bishop Glenn Davies, it was agreed that further debate on the ordination of women in Sydney Diocese be moved to the first item on the business paper for Synod 2008.