News

'Fine tooth comb' for Canberra contenders
By Allan Reeder
October 19, 2008
Scene of Canberra

Nominees on the list to become the next Bishop of Canberra & Goulburn have had to reveal whether they've ever had sex with a parishioner, been charged with tax avoidance or if they've had a history of alcohol abuse.

In a sign of the developing trend towards Australian dioceses adopting detailed pre-nomination checks before the election of diocesan bishops, clergy approached to be nominated for Canberra were asked to undergo three separate screening processes.

Nominations have now closed and the election synod is due to begin in Goulburn 31 October.

As well as a routine health check-up, nominees were required to undergo a records-check by the Australian Federal Police and to complete a 'Safe Ministry Check' questionnaire.

Nominees were asked to complete an 'Applicant's Screening Questionnaire' and had to provide Yes/No answers to 28 questions including:

 * "Have you ever engaged in .. sexual contact with a parishioner, client, patient, student, employee or subordinate?"

* "Have you ever engaged in ... sale or distribution of pornographic materials?"

* "Have you ever engaged in ... conduct likely to cause harm to a child?"

Nominees also faced questioning about any history or allegations of problem gambling, alcohol abuse, bankruptcy, tax avoidance, firearms, financial mismanagement and apprehended violence orders.

The nominees were required to list their employment history as well as any churches they have attended regularly as an adult.

In addition to giving permission for former rectors, bishops and employers to be contacted to provide further information, the nominees are required to sign a form to give a wide-ranging "release from liability" for any person who provides information, or for "any action ... as a result of such investigation."

The form attempts to justify the questioning, arguing : "This request for information is being made to comply with Anglican Church of Australia policies and not because we have any reason to believe that any applicant has in fact engaged in inappropriate conduct."

An introduction to the questionnaire also assured potential nominees: "Please note that a Yes answer to a question will not automatically rule an applicant out of selection."

After the health and professional standards checks were complete, nominees were asked to travel to Canberra to shoot a video-interview to be sent on DVD to synod members.

 

Canberra Times publishes list

While the names of nominees to go before this month's election synod are officially being kept confidential, the Canberra Times last month published a list of five names it claimed were on the list.

The Times' list includes the two current assistant bishops Canberra-Goulburn.

The names are (alphabetically):

* Bishop Trevor Edwards (Assistant Bishop and Rector of St Matthew's, Wanniassa)

*Bishop Allan Ewing (Assistant Bishop and Diocesan Vicar-General)

*Archdeacon Sarah Macneil (Rector of All Saints', Ainslie)

*Bishop John Parkes (Assistant bishop in Brisbane Diocese and Dean of St John's Cathedral)

*Revd Stuart Robinson (Rector of St Paul's Chatswood and the National Church's Mission Facilitator)

 

SAFE MINISTRY CHECK:

The nominees' questionnaire (PDF file) can be down-loaded from the Canberra & Goulburn web-site