Anglican Priests Defrocked over Abuse Allegations

By Samantha Donovan
ABC - PM
September 10, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2012/s3587031.htm

MARK COLVIN: Newcastle's Anglican Bishop has defrocked three priests over what he says are "disturbing" allegations of child abuse. The alleged abuse occurred in the 1970s and 1980s. Another priest has been banned from the Ministry for five years.

No charges have been laid but the Professional Standards Board of the Anglican Diocese accepted the alleged victim's evidence. The alleged victim says he's relieved that the Bishop of Newcastle has taken action.

Samantha Donovan reports.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Professional Standards Board of the Anglican Church of Newcastle accepted that the former dean of Newcastle, Graeme Lawrence and reverends Bruce Hoare and Andrew Duncan engaged in sexual misconduct against the alleged victim, known as M, when he was a teenager.

Newcastle's Anglican bishop, Brian Farran, admitted it was a difficult decision to defrock the priests.

BRIAN FARRAN: This is a decision is about the misuse of power. And the complainant was originally a younger person. What I'm, what the decision has been, that's been taken really says is that people cannot misuse power when they are given a position of great privilege and trust.

And so we're upholding the sense that everybody has to feel safe within the church.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Graeme Lawrence and another priest Graeme Sturt had challenged the professional standards board investigation in the New South Wales Supreme Court but were unsuccessful. Bishop Farran said the board had accepted that Graeme Sturt played a lesser role in the alleged abuse. He's banned him from the ministry for five years.

In an exclusive interview with the ABC today Bishop Farran said the investigation had been a long and difficult process.

BRIAN FARRAN: These are people whom I actually held in very high esteem. They have had significant influence in the diocese and in the city of Newcastle. When I met with the complainant and his family, very lovely people - strong, practising Anglicans. One of them, one of his brothers is a priest in our church, it was a hugely demanding day. And I'm pleased that I did it but it was very costly.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The alleged victim known as M released a statement saying he was greatly relieved that the Bishop of Newcastle had finally taken action in response to what he called the "the horrible truth" of what had happened to him.

M (voiceover from statement): Making my complaint and having it heard has been a long and difficult journey but I urge anybody else who has had similar experiences to speak out. Speaking out about the truth is the right thing to do. It sets us free from the cruel pain associated with so many lies and deceptions.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Bishop Brian Farran says he's mindful that parishioners of the Anglican Church need to be confident in the church and its systems.

BRIAN FARRAN: Terribly important in this community in the Hunter that people can have a real sense of holding the church in esteem and a real sense of security in our systems. I know that the family concerned, the family of the complainant felt that the complaints have been more thoroughly investigated by the church than they had been by the police.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: In his statement M said he was very grateful that his complaint had been heard through the Anglican Church's disciplinary processes.

M (voiceover from statement): It is important for me that these processes are independent and transparent. And it was so helpful for me that they were in my case.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Bishop Farran says that the good the priest had done in the community wasn't discounted by his actions today. But he said that good didn't erase the significant breach of trust that had occurred in a pastoral relationship. He's expecting a mixed reaction to the defrocking.

BRIAN FARRAN: There will be people in Newcastle who will be extraordinarily angry with me. There will other be people who will be very supportive. But unfortunately this has happened and the processes must be followed and people must realise that the church has to be a safe place.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Bishop Brian Farran is supporting the calls for a royal commission into clergy abuse in all churches.

BRIAN FARRAN: I think there should be an open public inquiry, absolutely. I think that in order for the church to have a sense of regaining its credibility within the community and they're a, look, tremendous clergy who really bear the brunt of the actions of a few. I think that we really need to establish what has happened and to regain the confidence and trust from an independent inquiry, I think that would be very important.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The ABC understands that New South Wales Police are reinvestigating the sexual abuse allegations made by M.

MARK COLVIN: Samantha Donovan.