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	Church Says Sorry to Bullied Priests By Colin James Adelaide Now [Australia] October 29, 2006 http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20666454-5006301,00.html Anglican priests "silenced, bullied or threatened" when they tried to report child sex abuse have received a public apology. The annual Synod of the Diocese of Adelaide has endorsed a report urging it to "acknowledge and apologise for the distress experienced by some clergy who attempted to report abuse in the past and were silenced, bullied or threatened". The apology was among measures approved by Synod at the weekend to overhaul the church's handling of child sex abuse allegations, including the adoption of a new code of conduct for priests, church officials and church workers. The strategy - developed over 12 months by a special working party - included the introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse to church and welfare authorities. Archbishop Jeffrey Driver yesterday described the measures as "one of the best models for best practice in professional conduct of any diocese in Australia". "Synod has made some important decisions this weekend, both in regard to our responsibility to survivors of sexual abuse and for the future ministry of the Anglican Church in the Diocese of Adelaide," he said. Archbishop Driver said he was pleased Synod had approved a comprehensive financial strategy to enable the church to pay compensation to child sex abuse victims, which already total $4.5 million. This included a 1 per cent levy on Adelaide parishes, the sale of land at Bishop's Court, Archbishop Driver's official North Adelaide residence, an internal fundraising appeal, a review of trust funds operated across the diocese and an appeal for other Anglican entities to financially support the church. Archbishop Driver said he had "a personal commitment" to ensure the financial challenges were resolved during his term of office. "This is a time of real discipline which will allow the diocese to progress to a better place," he said. Synod also agreed to examine how the diocese could operate in "a less hierachical manner". This followed a report commissioned by the church last year which found its "old, male-dominated power structures are related to a lack of accountability when dealing with matters of child abuse and adult sexual abuse". "I have made it abundantly clear that responsibility for the Church's current financial dilemma lies solely at the feet or those who committed offences against innocent young people and the reluctance of the Church to face these responsibilities in the past," Archbishop Driver said.
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