Anglican Church General Synod considers diocesan restructuring

The General Synod of the Anglican Church in Australia is meeting in Melbourne to consider proposals addressing the declining financial viability of several regional dioceses.

A report by the Diocesan Financial Advisory Task Force (DFATF) indicates that many dioceses outside major metropolitan areas are in a delicate financial state. This instability is attributed to declining membership, shifting demographics, and shrinking rural economies. Additionally, the cost of settling sexual and physical abuse claims has placed a significant burden on church finances, with the North Queensland Diocese currently in receivership due to such claims.

To address these challenges, the Synod is voting on constitutional amendments that would allow dioceses to share a bishop and simplify the process for creating or amalgamating dioceses. One existing example of inter-diocesan support is the Diocese of Sydney funding the bishop and registrar for Bathurst.