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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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A letter to the Premier of Tasmania6 June 2005 The Honourable Paul Lennon
Dear Premier Thank you for your letter of 17 May setting out your government's response to the needs of survivors of child abuse in state care. Your letter commends for my consideration the processes you have adopted, noting especially the value to survivors of apologising. May I commend and endorse your approach to addressing this most serious issue. It is a matter of public record that on my first day in office, 26 July 2000, I made an unreserved apology in the following terms in relation to complaints of abuse by church workers: I am deeply sorry for what took place. I make an unreserved apology to those who were abused by clergy or other officers of the Anglican Church in Tasmania. My heart goes out to those of you who were abused. Those abuses should never have happened and I pledge myself, as Bishop, to do all I can to ensure that such abuses do not happen again. This apology has been repeated publicly on a number of occasions and delivered in person to any and all individuals who have come to me with complaints of abuse at the hands of clergy and church workers. At its annual sessions in Launceston last month, the 49th Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania took the further step of expressing an unreserved apology to those who have suffered during their time in care in church institutions, an apology framed by our national body, General Synod. Secondly, the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania has for a number of years provided support, including access to counselling services, for victims of abuse. Thirdly, in 2003 we implemented the Pastoral Support and Assistance Scheme which, like the State Government scheme which followed ours, provides payments of up to $60 000 to assist victims. Fourthly, I continue to call for a Royal Commission into sexual abuse of children in Australian society, believing this to be the most thorough way in which this very serious issue can be properly investigated and action taken. Finally, we have developed processes of training and accreditation for church workers in their work with children. Yours sincerely 
Bishop John Harrower |
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