Ron Brookman: Uniting Church removes minister on sex charge
One of the biggest religious organisations in Australia has spoken after one of its ministers, a gay conversion therapy proponent, was charged with a historical child sex offence this week.
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The Uniting Church of Australia has broken its silence after one of its ministers faced court on a historical child sex offence charge on Tuesday.
The church, which boasted of having 243,000 members in 2018, released a statement in the wake of the allegations coming to light in court this week.
Former reverend Ron Charles Brookman has pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault alleging he “kissed and rubbed his groin against” a 13-year-boy while still a minister with the church in Newtown in 1989.
Brookman was also a director of Living Waters for 15 years. The organisation hosts one of Australia’s longest-running gay conversion therapy programs.
“The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and ACT takes its responsibility for the protection of children and vulnerable people very seriously, and has removed the minister from all forms of ministry,” a Uniting Church spokeswoman said.
“The Uniting Church will be assisting NSW Police with its investigations and asks anyone with information to contact the police directly.
“As this matter is currently before the court, the church will not be making any further comment.”
The 70-year-old was charged on January 14 after a 2019 report to police spurred an investigation by detectives at the Inner West command.
Brookman is also the director of a sex addiction and recovery support program operating out of the Sutherland and Ramsgate areas, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He will return to Newtown Local Court on March 31.
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