Anglicans near deal on abuse payout
By Greg Roberts NEWS.com.au August 5, 2005 payment to the woman whose allegations of child love abuse led to the downfall of former governor-general Peter Hollingworth.
The church believes the offer is fair and generous and is confident it will finally settle the long-running controversy over claims by Beth Heinrich that she was abused as a teenager in the mid-1950s by Anglican priest Donald Shearman.
A suggestion by Dr Hollingworth, who was Anglican archbishop of Brisbane before his appointment to Yarralumla in 2001, that Mrs Heinrich initiated the abuse -- which continued over two years at a church boarding school in the NSW town of Forbes -- led to a public outcry and a church inquiry that forced his resignation as governor-general in 2003.
Mrs Heinrich met Bishop of Bathurst Richard Hurford -- whose diocese includes Forbes -- church officials and lawyers in Sydney yesterday to discuss a compensation offer. Mrs Heinrich had sought $500,000 to allow her to move from her Wagga Wagga home to Canberra.
Negotiations have not been completed but the church is understood to have made Mrs Heinrich a substantial offer, which approaches this sum and is acceptable to her.
The settlement will also include an apology to Mrs Heinrich for pain and suffering she suffered as a result of the abuse by Mr Shearman.
Bishop Hurford said after the meeting that discussions were amicable. "It's been a very good day for everybody," Bishop Hurford told The Australian.
"It's a positive step towards finalising things. We should see it all sorted out in two or three weeks."
Mr Shearman went on to become the church's youngest bishop. Last August, he became the first Australian bishop to be stripped of his holy orders when a church tribunal found his conduct at Forbes had been "disgraceful".
The historic defrocking was conducted by Anglican primate Phillip Aspinall, who had succeeded Dr Hollingworth as Brisbane's Anglican archbishop.
Church observers say the handling of the difficult and complex issue by Dr Aspinall, who also initiated the inquiry that led to Dr Hollingworth's resignation as governor-general, was the factor that tipped the numbers his way in the church election last month to replace outgoing primate Peter Carnley.
Mr Shearman, who lives with wife Fay at Deception Bay, north of Brisbane, has refused to apologise to Mrs Heinrich. Mrs Shearman said last night: "I know nothing about this meeting. We've got nothing to say."
Mrs Heinrich's compensation claim was handled by law firm Slater and Gordon.
Initially, the church dismissed any prospect of compensation.
Bishop Hurford said at the time of Dr Hollingworth's resignation: "It is quite inappropriate to ask the many struggling parishes of the diocese to contribute to the funding of such financial reparations."
Child advocate Hetty Johnston said she was pleased that the church had finally succumbed to public pressure.
"There was clearly a breach of the church's duty of care and this should have been sorted out long ago," said Ms Johnston, a confidante of Mrs Heinrich.
"You can't put a price on the lifetime of pain and suffering she has endured."
Mrs Heinrich filed a formal complaint against Mr Shearman with NSW police last year.
But they determined that the statute of limitations prevented charges being brought.
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