No Broad Church: Catholics 'Veto' Chapman

By Nick Leys
The Australian
June 10, 2013

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/no-broad-church-catholics-veto-chapman/story-fngburq5-1226661002148

THE Catholic Church has revoked an invitation to one of Australia's leading television producers to deliver the main address at its annual press association conference to avoid her speaking about sexual abuse in the church.

Penny Chapman - the award-winning producer whose credits include Brides of Christ, The Leaving of Liverpool and The Slap - has been told she will no longer deliver the main address at the Australasian Catholic Press Association conference gala dinner in September following a decision by the Melbourne archdiocese to veto the invitation because they feel her speech would not be "positive".

Chapman's latest project is a TV series sequel to the seminal Australian film directed by Fred Schepisi, The Devil's Playground. It will deal with how members of the church handle sexual abuse.

An organiser for the conference, Tim Kroenert, the assistant editor of social affairs magazine Eureka Street, wrote to Chapman's personal assistant saying he was "embarrassed" but the invite had been "vetoed".