The Anglican Bishop of Ballarat says regional dioceses around Australia are facing financial pressure and potential closure due to having to pay millions of dollars to abuse victim-survivors. 

In his 2025 “presidential address” Bishop Garry Weatherill said his diocese is in a “very difficult” financial position after having to pay almost $6 million to survivors of abuse over the past decade. 

He said the diocese had sold all of its Ballarat properties and one in Warrnambool to help pay victim-survivors through civil claims and a redress scheme.

The Sebastopol parish has also closed and the diocese’s financial reserves have been exhausted, Bishop Weatherill said.

He said he anticipated more than $1 million remains to be paid to more claimants.

“I have been at pains to shield the diocese from this information, because it is very disturbing, and because some of those who have been offenders have been much admired people in our diocesan community.” 

Bishop Weatherill told the ABC the diocese was responding to claims of “bad behaviour mainly in the distant past”. 

“We cannot know if there might be more cases that emerge, although I remain hopeful that the worst of this wave is coming to an end,” he said in his address.

Read it all at ABC.net