Tasmanian Anglican Church faces $80M compensation bill for abuse survivors

Tasmania's Anglican bishop says "everything is on the table" as the church grapples with how to fund an expected $80 million bill for compensation payments to victim-survivors of historical child sexual abuse.

The revised dollar figure is more than double the church's estimate from 2023 on what it expected to pay.

"Our redress working group is meeting to consider new options to find the additional funds needed to meet our commitment to survivors in the coming years," Bishop Richard Condie said in a statement.

"Everything is on the table."

In 2018, the Anglican Church in Tasmania started selling its churches and other properties to raise funds for expected redress claims.

At that time, the church estimated it would need to raise $10 million to meet its redress obligations.

By March last year, it had finalised 84 payments to victim-survivors of abuse — some through the National Redress Scheme, some through civil court claims — paying out $17.5 million.

Its most recent estimate, from 2023, was that it would need $36 million to meet its obligations.

"We are not making any immediate decisions or changes, but the sacrifices we will need to make will affect us all."

He said the church expected to pay out its outstanding liability over the next 15 years.

Dr Condie said he wanted to "assure all Anglicans and all Tasmanians that we are working hard to ensure that we can continue delivering essential pastoral care and ministry across Tasmania".

"We do not yet know how this new estimate of liability will affect our operations, but we know that God loves all Tasmanians and we are committed to bringing the good news of Jesus to all Tasmanians even if it means making significant changes to our models of how this happens."

'Humbled by the courage' of victim-survivors

Dr Condie said he encouraged anyone who had suffered abuse in the Anglican Church to come forward.

"We are humbled by the courage of those who have come forward and made a claim. We know it is not easy and we take all claims very seriously," he said.

"We are deeply ashamed of what happened to these children when they were in our care."

"What the perpetrators did was pure evil and we condemn it."

"They are not our crimes, but they are our responsibility."

"Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we willingly sacrifice our financial resources in hope that survivors might find a measure of peace and justice."

"A financial settlement can never undo what has been done, but we are committed to doing what we can to recognise and support survivors."

The church sold 73 churches and other properties following its 2018 to do so.

In 2020 and in 2023, it made cuts to chaplaincy in prisons and some parish and youth ministries.