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The Diocese of Melbourne is developing a comprehensive new Bill in relation to clergy, including such matters as employment status and working conditions, appointment, extension in parish ministry, retirement and breakdown of pastoral relationships.
A consultation paper was published on this website on 3 August 2020 and all members of Synod were informed about the paper and the consultation process. About 70 people responded to the email to Synod members.
From late August until mid-September two sessions were conducted in relation to each of nine topic areas, and three further sessions were conducted. Two of these covered clusters of three topics, and one was a general discussion about the rationale for the project and anything else that people wanted to raise.
Written submissions were also sought, and at every consultation session participants were asked to use the session to assist them in providing submissions. Forty-nine Synod members attended one or more of the consultation sessions (and another 10 attended in specific capacities), and 30 Synod members provided submissions.
A progress report was provided to the Archbishop in Council at its meeting on 26 November 2020 together with all the submissions, presented in a standard format. The Archbishop in Council noted the report and the decision of the Archbishop to establish a reference group for the project. The review will now not encompass legislation relating to the archbishopric or to the Diocesan Tribunal. Separate new legislation for the latter will be proposed for the 2021 ordinary session of Synod.
Additional research and engagement with Diocesan entities and other Dioceses in the Province over the following few months, and a proposal for recommendations to the 2021 Synod was brought to the Archbishop in Council in the early 2021.
Subsequently a report was brought to the October 2021 Synod which is available here.
The process is now in its final stages and a new, consolidated Clergy Bill will be presented to the Melbourne Synod in October 2022.
All Anglicans in the Diocese are invited to attend any one of the following consultation sessions for a briefing about the draft of this Clergy Bill, and to ask questions and make comments. Speakers at the sessions are Dr Ian Gibson, Advocate of the Diocese, and The Rt Revd Alison Taylor, Chair of the Clergy Legislation Review Reference Group.
Consultation Sessions (Zoom or in person) may be booked through Trybooking for the following times:
Resource material relevant to this project are available on this webpage.
Emails in relation to this review should be sent to clr@melbourneanglican.org.au.
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