Recently the Diocese of Sydney announced its intention to pursue a merger of it’s two large public service organisations, Anglicare and Anglican Retirement Villages (ARV). The merger is being proposed as the best way forward to deal with a number of issues facing both organisations; the financial viability and longevity of Anglicare in an increasingly difficult and competitive market, as well as the economies of scale required to sustain and protect ARV’s business (Anglicare also operates a number of retirement facilities). It is also argued that ARV’s historical surplus might be applied more effectively to social welfare thus using the funds in a better way and protecting it’s tax status.
The merger proposal document for consideration by Synod has now been released on the diocesan website (reproduced below) and is well worth a look-through for those interested. It sets out the background and rationale to the merger on which synod will vote in April. I have a number of questions already, including some more technical accounting-type queries about detail and I imagine the process will involve a number of responses to similar enquiries from members of synod before the matter is debated at a Special Synod on April 27.
I note that no prior comments have been made in the 7 years since this was posted.
David – do you have any comment (or know of comments from any Anglican authorities) in response to public reporting of concerns in this past year that tax-payer funding of the new Anglicare Sydney should NOT be accessed when paying out against historical child sex abuse liabilities (as transferred from Sydney Diocese)? At first glance it sounds entirely reasonable. Perhaps that is what already happens?
hi Geoff. As I understand it, Anglicare’s liabilities are treated separately to those of the Diocese. So there is no co-mingling of those specific liabilities. They have seperate insurances and have distinct relationships with the National Redress Scheme. The notion that somehow government funding for Anglicare’s work would find it’s way into Diocesan payments for abuse liabilities is so bizarre that it can only flow from either a gross misunderstanding of the structure or a wilful desire to misrepresent.
Thanks David. I don’t anything for sure but my concern is more about engaging with public statements – acknowledging what’s correct & challenging what’s not. Read on : https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/anglican-church-accused-of-using-taxpayer-funds-to-pay-child-sexual-abuse-claims/
I see. Well, as far as I know the opening para is simply untrue:
” In 2016, the Anglican Church Sydney Diocese shifted all of its historical child sex abuse liabilities into Anglicare as part of an internal restructure, when it created Anglicare Sydney by merging two entities – Anglican Retirement Villages and the Sydney Anglican Home Mission Society.”