Bishop releases details on how to respond to church sale proposals, extends consultation deadline

THE Anglican Church in Tasmania is giving communities more time to respond to the church’s decision to sell church property to fund redress.

St Andrews church at Westbury is one of the churches the Tasmanian Anglican Diocese plans to sell.

THE Anglican Church in Tasmania is giving communities more time to respond to the church’s decision to sell church property to fund redress.

The church’s Tasmanian synod in June voted to sell 108 of its properties, including 76 churches, to help fund a redress scheme for victims of childhood abuse.

Tasmanian Bishop Richard Condie today released information to help community members provide feedback about the proposed sales.

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Dr Condie said the guidelines allowed for community feedback to request that a building not be sold, or that a building be transferred to a community group.

“We welcome community members’ input in our decisions around the sale of property, and are keen to receive their input,” he said.

“In the interests of good process, we have extended the deadline for community feedback from 1 September to 1 October, to allow more time for community groups to consider their options.”

Dr Condie said the Diocesan Council would consider the submissions, taking into account the significance of the place to the community, historic and cultural heritage, and the importance of the property to the wider Tasmanian and Australian community.

The Diocesan Council will make its final decision about property sales in December.

The large-scale property sale is expected to raise about $20 million.

The church estimates it will need $8 million to pay compensation to victims.

The rest of the money will go into new ministries and back to the congregations where properties are sold.