The Anglican Church's estimated redress liability for survivors of institutional child sex abuse has shot up to $20 million.
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And it doesn't yet know how it's going to fund its increased commitments..
The updated estimate has been revealed two years after the church resolved to sell off 73 of its properties to meet its liability under the National Redress Scheme, which has caused unrest in some communities. At that time, the estimate stood at $8.6 million. It's now more than doubled to about $19.4 million, which Bishop Richard Condie has put down to a greater proportion of claimants pursuing civil litigation.
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"We've been reporting to our Synod that so far in the redress scheme, we have paid out $3.65 million to 24 survivors of sexual abuse," Dr Condie said yesterday. "We've had an increase in our estimated liability for sexual abuse claims ... and so the church is thinking about how it's going to meet that increased liability."
"Everything is on the table at this stage and we'll be having a comprehensive look at all of our finances and assets to work out how we're going to meet that."
Labor frontbencher Jen Butler said the diocese needed to "categorically rule out" selling any more churches.
"The Anglican Church must categorically rule out more church sales to cover the cost of redress," she said. "The first round of asset sales has been incredibly distressing for communities around the state."
"Of the assets that have been sold to date, just 25 per cent of the proceeds have gone to redress. If the cost of the liability has increased then a higher proportion of sale proceeds must be directed to the scheme."
Dr Condie said a special working group within the diocese has been tasked with identifying ways the church can fund its estimated redress liability.
"A greater proportion of claimants are now pursuing civil litigation against the diocese," Bishop Richard Condie said. "These payouts are greater than the National Redress Scheme."
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"We're working on numbers of around 150 survivors coming forward."
The bishop said the diocese was glad to be providing redress to survivors of child sex abuse.
"It doesn't take away the pain of survivors of sexual abuse but it does go some way to helping people make sense of what's happened to them and help them with some of the losses they've experienced," he said.
Dr Condie did not rule out selling further church properties to raise funds for redress, but nor did he rule out the diocese increasing the percentage of sale proceeds it puts into its redress fund.
The church's updated estimated liability comes after changes to the law in Tasmania earlier this year which have made it easier for survivors of institutional child sex abuse to have their previous settlements cast aside, paving the way for them to pursue civil litigation.
Anglican clergy sex abuse survivor Steve Fisher, chief executive of Beyond Abuse, said these amendments to existing legislation explained the church's new redress liability estimate.
"People who had already received a pittance were able to go to court and get the deed of release that they signed overturned," he said.
"There's nowhere to hide anymore. [Religious institutions] can't hide behind the law, they can't say that their priests were independent contractors, therefore they have no liability."
Mr Fisher encouraged survivors who had already signed deeds of release to engage a lawyer or to contact Beyond Abuse for assistance.
To report abuse, contact the church's director of professional standards on 1800 017 286 or Tasmania Police.on 131 444.
- National sexual assault support: 1800 RESPECT, Laurel House (03) 6334 2740 (Launceston), (03) 6431 9711 (Burnie and Devonport), Sexual Assault Support Services (SASS) on 1800 697 877
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