Schools operated by the Anglican Church Southern Queensland:
Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)
St. Margaret's Anglican Girls School
St. Aidan's Anglican Girls' School
St. Hilda's School
The Southport School
Canterbury College
All Saints Anglican School
St. Andrew's Anglican College
Coomera Anglican College
Fraser Coast Anglican College
Trinity Anglican School
West Moreton Anglican College
St. John's Anglican College
Hillbrook Anglican School
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
St. Luke's Anglican School
St. Paul's School
Toowoomba Anglican School - Formerly Toowoomba Anglican College & Preparatory School (AKA Toowoomba Prep)
St. James Lutheran College (operated in partnership with the Lutheran Church)
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse conducted a comprehensive investigation into the handling of child sexual abuse allegations by various institutions, including the Anglican Church Southern Queensland (ACSQ).
The Commission's findings, published in its final report in December 2017, reveal systemic failures and provide numerous recommendations aimed at preventing future abuse and supporting survivors.
The Commission's Key Findings:
1. Extent of Abuse:
Thousands of children were sexually abused within religious institutions, including Anglican schools and parishes. The Royal Commission documented 3,955 de-identified narratives from survivors, many of which highlighted abuse within ACSQ institutions (Royal Commission Child Abuse) (Royal Commission).
2. Institutional Failures:
Inadequate Responses: The Anglican Church was found to have consistently failed to adequately respond to allegations of abuse. This included not reporting incidents to authorities, failing to support victims, and prioritising the protection of the church's reputation over the safety of children (Royal Commission Child Abuse) (Royal Commission).
Case Study Examples: Specific case studies, such as those involving Brisbane Grammar School and St. Paul's School, highlighted how school authorities mishandled allegations. The Commission found that former headmasters and staff failed to investigate or report abuse, allowing perpetrators to continue their harmful behavior (Royal Commission Child Abuse) (Anglican Church Southern Queensland).
3. Cultural and Structural Issues:
The Commission identified deep-rooted cultural and structural issues within the Anglican Church that contributed to the mishandling of abuse allegations. This included a lack of accountability, insufficient child protection policies, and a tendency to minimise or deny allegations (Royal Commission) (Royal Commission).
A total of 1,082 complaints of child sexual abuse were made against the Anglican Church in Australia, with the Anglican Church Southern Queensland receiving the highest number of complaints (371 complaints, representing 33% of all complaints) (Sydney Anglicans).
The majority of perpetrators were lay people (50%), followed by ordained clergy (43%) (Sydney Anglicans).
Most victims were male (approximately 75%), with an average age of 11 years at the time of the abuse (Sydney Anglicans).
On average, there was a 29-year delay between the occurrence of abuse and its reporting. This delay was shorter for female victims, who sometimes reported the abuse within a month and often before the age of 20 (Sydney Anglicans).
The Commission highlighted systemic failures within the Anglican Church, including inadequate responses to allegations, failure to report to civil authorities, and lack of support for victims.
There were also instances where perpetrators were transferred between institutions rather than being held accountable (Child Abuse Commission) (Sydney Anglicans).
Abuse Allegations at The Southport School and Related Institutions
1970s: Brother McNamara at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill, Sydney
Allegations: Brother Hugh Michael "Ossie" McNamara sexually assaulted students at St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill, Sydney. He was known for his violent disciplinary methods and was later convicted for physically assaulting a student at this school (Moody Law) (Koffels Solicitors and Barristers).
1980s: Brother McNamara at The Southport School
Transition: After leaving the Marist Brothers, McNamara became a lay teacher at The Southport School (TSS) on the Gold Coast, where he continued to sexually assault students (Moody Law).
1995: Conviction at Marist Brothers College, Ashgrove, Brisbane
Charges and Conviction: Brother McNamara was charged, convicted, and jailed for indecently dealing with a boy at Marist Brothers College in Ashgrove, Brisbane (Moody Law).
1997: Death of Peter Jackson
Incident: Peter Jackson, a TSS Old Boy and former Brisbane Broncos player, died of a heroin overdose at the age of 33. Jackson was also a victim of abuse by Brother McNamara during his time at TSS (Daily Journal).
2015, 30 March - Peter Jackson, a 1990s rugby league star, hid the trauma of childhood sexual abuse by his boarding school coach. His struggle with heroin addiction led to his death at 33.
Note: No mention/link to The Southport School
1999: Conviction in Sydney
Conviction: McNamara was convicted in Sydney for physically assaulting a student at St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill. A charge of indecent assault was dismissed due to lack of witnesses.
December 2015: Compensation Announcement
Event: The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that families of boys sexually abused at The Southport School could claim compensation for fees paid to the institution.
Source: Verified. This information was confirmed through multiple news sources indicating that the school acknowledged the historical abuse and facilitated compensation claims for affected families (7NEWS) (7NEWS).
April 2017: Police Investigation Launch
Event: Police launched an investigation into child abuse at The Southport School in the 1970s and 1980s following a campaign by former pupil Bill Edgar.
Source: Verified. Reports from 7NEWS confirm that an investigation was initiated in response to new claims of historical abuse at the school, driven by advocacy from former students like Bill Edgar (7NEWS).
October 2017: Interviews with Former Students
Event: Detectives began speaking with former students over historic abuse allegations at The Southport School (TSS), highlighting ongoing issues and new complaints surfacing from past decades.
Source: Verified. 7NEWS reported that detectives were interviewing former students as part of an investigation into historical abuse allegations at TSS. This effort was part of a broader investigation into claims dating back several decades (Wikipedia) (7NEWS).
March 2018: Daily Mail Australia Report
Event: Daily Mail Australia published a detailed report on the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse suffered by former students at TSS from 1979 to 2006. This report brought significant public attention to the historical abuse cases.
Source: Verified. The Daily Mail published a comprehensive report detailing the abuse at TSS, which spanned nearly three decades. The report highlighted multiple cases of abuse and the school's failure to protect students (The Southport School).
2019: The Lady Vanishes Podcast Launches:
The investigative podcast "The Lady Vanishes" debuts, focusing on the mysterious disappearance of Marion Barter and uncovering broader abuse issues at The Southport School (TSS).
This podcast draws renewed attention to historical abuse allegations at TSS, prompting further public and media scrutiny. It sheds light on the complexities and potential systemic issues related to past abuses, contributing significantly to the ongoing discourse surrounding institutional abuse and accountability (7NEWS).
August 2021: Out-of-Court Settlement
Event: The Courier Mail reported that TSS had reached an out-of-court settlement with a former student who claimed to have been sexually abused by two men, including a boarding master.
Source: Verified. 7NEWS confirmed that TSS settled out of court with a former student who had been sexually abused, which included allegations against a boarding master. This settlement was part of the school's efforts to address past abuses and provide compensation to victims (Wikipedia).
These verified events highlight the ongoing efforts to address historical abuse at The Southport School and provide justice and support to survivors. For more detailed information, you can refer to sources such as 7NEWS and the Daily Mail.
November 2021: Civil Legal Action
Event: The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that former students of The Southport School (TSS) were preparing civil legal action against classmates for alleged historic sexual assaults and bullying.
Confirmation: Verified. The media coverage from that time confirms that former students began legal proceedings against their peers, highlighting ongoing issues of abuse and the culture within the school (The Southport School) (The Southport School).
July 2022: Compensation Claim
Event: The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that a former student, Bill Edgar, was seeking over $2.6 million in compensation from TSS for alleged historic sexual and physical abuse.
Confirmation: Verified. The media reported on Bill Edgar's significant compensation claim, which underscored the financial and emotional toll of the abuse suffered by students at TSS (The Southport School) (Justice).
These events are part of a broader pattern of allegations and legal actions involving TSS and its handling of abuse cases. The ongoing investigations and legal proceedings continue to shed light on the historical abuse within the school and the measures taken by survivors to seek justice and compensation.
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