JUNE 2018 | Cody Handley

A PUBLIC meeting for concerned Anglican Church parishioners of Quamby was held at Westbury in May.

Anglican Bishop of Tasmania, Richard Condie, addressed an audience of 90-odd people at St Andrews Church.

The meeting concerned the proposed sale of churches and cemeteries to fund the National Redress Scheme.

In his address, Bishop Condie spoke of the importance of the Redress Scheme, saying that for survivors of sexual abuse, “redress provides a small measure of justice and recognition.”

Sales proceeds would be distributed as follows: 25% would go towards redress, a further 25% to a ‘new ministry fund,’ while the remaining 50% would stay with local parishes to be put towards finding a replacement site for congregations or to organise transport to another church.

The Bishop stressed that “A church is not the building but the people.”

If money equivalent to 25% of the estimated value can be raised, the Bishop said there would be no need to sell properties. For Quamby Parish, churches at  Hagley, Carrick and Westbury are intended to be sold for an estimated total value of $600,000; meaning, that in order to avoid any sales, Quamby parishioners would need to raise $200,000.

Attendees were hostile to the proposals. One particularly distraught woman stated “These places are our memories. This is where I got married. This is where my children were christened. This is where my husband is buried!”

There was a sentiment that parishioners were being made to suffer for the sins of the clergy with the aforementioned attendee asking, “Why should we have to pay for your sins?” to which the Bishop suggested it was “the Christian thing to do,” drawing scoffs from the audience.

The Bishop was asked how many cemeteries for sale had originally been gifted to the Church, which he took on notice.

The Bishop said the Church was in discussions with councils about taking on management of cemeteries and said more details would be known after a meeting with Treasurer Peter Gutwein.

Submissions are invited between June and October to object to specific sites being sold.

Photo | Mike Moores