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	Less Red Tape for Qld Church Sex Victims Brisbane Times June 21, 2009 http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-national/less-red-tape-for-qld-church-sex-victims-20090621-cso1.html The Anglican Church in Brisbane has resolved to negotiate a protocol for waiving the time limit blocking child sex abuse victims from suing. All states set a time limit, known as the statute of limitations, for abuse victims to bring their cases to court. A motion calling for the church to stop invoking the statute, which is 21 years in Queensland, was debated at the Brisbane diocese annual Synod on Sunday, but did not pass. However, an amended motion was passed. "(Synod resolved to) Ask the archbishop and council to continue its ethical lead by undertaking negotiations with the diocesan insurers to establish a protocol for dealing with claims by victims of child sex abuse when the diocese considers it appropriate not to invoke the time limitation defence without losing indemnity from our insurers," the motion read. A church spokesman said the synod, a parliament of 400 clergy and lay people, backed continuing discussion of the issue. "We'll be writing to our insurers and saying we want to meet with you to formulate an agreement that allows us to instruct you to waive the provision of the stature where it's appropriate," he said. The synod also supported continued lobbying by Anglican leader Archbishop Phillip Aspinall for a uniform national statute of at least 37 years, the current level in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. "We've written to all national heads of churches to ask them to join us in appealing for unity," the church spokesman said. "We want victims of sexual abuse to be treated fairly and we don't think the current statute of limitations does that. "We want to make sure that if people want to sue us through the court system the statute of limitations is not going to be an impediment ... but there are cases where the statute of limitations is actually quite valid."
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