Anglican Church’s Tasmanian property sale will fund redress for Tassie abuse victims, says church

THE Anglican Diocese of Tasmania says money raised from a property sell-off in Tasmania will go towards Tasmanian sex abuse victims.

Anglican Bishop of Tasmania Dr Richard Condie says the final list of properties to be sold will be decided in December. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

FUNDS raised from the Anglican Church’s Tasmania property sale will go to Tasmanian victims only, a church spokeswoman has confirmed.

The sale of about half of the Anglican Church’s property holdings in Tasmania is aimed at financing its $8.6 million sex abuse redress program.

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The fire sale is expected to raise about $20 million but only a quarter will go to the redress. The additional $3 million will come from diocese trusts.

A spokeswoman for the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania said 25 per cent of sale funds were earmarked for redress, 50 per cent for local parishes affected and the remaining 25 per cent to the New Ministry Development Fund.

“There are costs associated with the sale of property, which will come out before the proceeds are divided up,” the spokeswoman said.

She said funds raised in Tasmania would not go towards a “national kitty” but were for Tasmanian victims.

“No, it’s not part of a national kitty,” she said.

“The money raised will fund redress in relation to claims only made against the Anglican Church of Tasmania.”

The church plans to return money remaining at the end of the National Redress Scheme — after 10 years — to the parishes from which it was levied.

But with most of the 76 churches on the list of 108 properties closed, the Mercury sought clarification on how the balance would be directed.

“Church buildings might be closed, but the people of the parish will still be within local communities,” the spokeswoman said.

“If parishes have merged, funds will be returned to the merged parish’s trustee account.”

The Anglican Church has yet to finalise how the properties will be sold.

It comes after some Tasmanian Anglican congregations have vowed to fight to have their historic or active churches taken off the list.

Tasmanian Bishop Richard Condie said communities were welcome to express their concerns when the final list of what is to go to market was announced after the church synod met next month.

A final list will be decided in December.