Archbishop, Anglicare Chief Welcome Cummins Report, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, April 2, 2012

Archbishop, Anglicare Chief Welcome Cummins Report

Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
April 2, 2012

www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/NewsAndViews/TMA/Pages/2012/2012-04/Feature-Archbishop-Anglicare-chief-welcome-Cummins-Report-001265.aspx

The Cummins Report, which was the outcome of an inquiry into the protection of vulnerable children in Victoria, was released on 28 February. The Report made 90 recommendations, including that the reporting of child abuse should be mandatory for clergy, and that a separate inquiry should be conducted into religious organisations.

Archbishop Freier made the following media statement in response to the Report on 29 February:

The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne strongly welcomes the intent of the Cummins Report which is to improve outcomes for Victoria's vulnerable children.

The Diocese is presently working through the detail and recommendations of the report but can confirm that:

Clergy and church workers within the Diocese of Melbourne have an existing obligation to report criminal offences and matters of child sexual abuse;
The Anglican Church takes its responsibilities to the community very seriously and has well established and independent processes for complaints and reporting;
The Anglican Church strongly welcomes any measure which strengthens protection for vulnerable children, and in 2009 the Church undertook an independent study of child sexual abuse within the Anglican Church of Australia, the findings of which were made public and made available in June 2009. They can be seen at www.anglican.org.au/Web/Website.nsf/content/Commission:_Professional_Standards.

CEO of Anglicare Victoria, Mr Paul McDonald, also responded to the Report in a media release on 29 February. He welcomed most of the recommendations of the Report, but expressed concern about the recommended increase in mandatory reporting.

"We welcome… a greater emphasis on the education and health systems sharing responsibility for the wellbeing of children who have suffered abuse or neglect."

He also welcomed the recommendation to decentralise the Children's Court and offer ongoing support for young people over 18 lacking the right support and skills to live independently.

However, he told TMA that an increase in mandatory reporting, as recommended by the report, "will not be helpful. The system currently does a good job of identifying the children at greatest risk.

"Where it is failing, is in delivering a timely and appropriate response to those children to ensure they are safe and nurtured. An increase in mandatory reporting will consume resources and further hinder the Department's ability to effectively protect children at greatest risk."