THE Anglican diocese of Newcastle has announced Professional Standards Board hearings involving a former church worker and four clergy, including retired dean of Newcastle Graeme Lawrence.
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In a statement released yesterday, the diocese said ‘‘current disciplinary proceedings’’ against the Very Reverend Graeme Lawrence, the Reverend Graeme Sturt, the Reverend Bruce Hoare, the Reverend Andrew Duncan and former church worker Gregory Goyette had progressed to hearing stage.
The statement, released by diocese director of professional standards Michael Elliott, did not provide detail of matters before the Professional Standards Board from Monday next week.
The matters were referred to police but no action was taken.
The matters were then the subject of an internal church investigation relating to ‘‘alleged examinable conduct under the diocesan code of conduct’’.
The disciplinary proceedings were the subject of a recent diocesan professional standards committee hearing which referred the matters to a formal sitting of the diocese’s Professional Standards Board next week, headed by retired NSW magistrate Col Elliott.
The diocese advised the hearings in Newcastle were open to the public, but said there would be ‘‘no further comment on the matter at this time’’.
Reverend Graeme Lawrence was dean of Newcastle for 25 years and rector of Christ Church Cathedral until his retirement on December 31, 2008.
His most significant public role was overseeing the cathedral’s restoration after the 1989 earthquake.
