Kooyoora commences operations

Kooyoora Ltd, the independent professional standards company, has commenced operations as the Office of Professional Standards for the Anglican Dioceses of Melbourne and Bendigo as of 1 July 2017.

Kooyoora Ltd will handle all complaints for the two dioceses, and will progress to handling safe ministry clearances in time.

Anne Baker, former Registrar of the Diocese of Bendigo has been appointed as the Executive Director, along with the appointment of three other staff members.

Uniform professional standards legislation was passed by the Synods of both Melbourne and Bendigo in 2016, which established the independent company to manage complaints and screening separate from the dioceses themselves.

It has been evident from the many survivor statements and learnings from the recent Victorian Parliamentary Enquiry and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual abuse that a more independent Office of Professional Standards can offer a greater assurance of effective handling of complaints and screening of clergy and lay people for the protection of the community. It offers a sound basis to seek to restore confidence and trust of the community in our institutions.

Kooyoora Ltd will charge on a fee for service basis for its services in relation to complaints, clearance and inquiries. Independent directors will be appointed to the board of Kooyoora by the end of the year.

The legislation and code of conduct under which Kooyoora will operate in the Diocese of Bendigo is available on the complaints section of the diocesan website.

Read the full ad clerum announcing the commencement of Kooyoora Ltd.

Pictured: Michael Shand QC (Chancellor, Diocese of Melbourne), Anne Baker (Executive Officer, Kooyoora), Ian Dallas (Chancellor, Diocese of Bendigo), Archbishop Philip Freier (Archbishop of Melbourne)  and Bishop Andrew Curnow (Bishop of Bendigo)