AUSTRALIA
The Courier-Mail
05aug05
THE Anglican Church has offered a six-figure compensation deal to the woman whose claims of child sexual abuse against a priest brought down a governor-general.
Beth Heinrich, now aged in her 60s, says she was sexually assaulted by Anglican priest Donald Shearman while she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl boarder at a hostel in Forbes, western New South Wales in the 1950s.
Ms Heinrich approached then Brisbane Anglican Archbishop Peter Hollingworth for assistance, just prior to his appointment as governor-general, but he apparently fobbed her off, suggesting she had in fact instigated the abuse.
Dr Hollingworth's comments led to public outcry, a church inquiry and his subsequent resignation in 2003.
Law firm Slater and Gordon, acting for Ms Heinrich, confirmed a six-figure offer had been offered, and was expected to be formalised very soon.