$41 Million Dollar Upgrade to Booragul Aged Care Facility

BY GRACE LANCASTER

Work has today commenced on a $41 million dollar upgrade to an aged care facility at Booragul.

The Anglican Care funded project aims to expand and improve aged care services available to residents and will include 126 new single en-suite rooms, a Chapel, cafe and day therapy centre.

The project will bring in 160 local workers over the course of the expected two-year project.

CEO of Anglican Care, Colin Osborne, says it's a much-needed upgrade.

"The old CA Brown nursing home was built in stages quite some years ago, and it really doesn't meet the contemporary standards of delivery of quality aged care services," he said.

The project is one of a number of Anglican Care funded projects around the Hunter set to be opened by April 2020.

"It's an 18-month building program, a very extensive building program that we're looking forward to commissioning in that second quarter of 2020."

Image: APP Construction

Community Backlash against Proposed Church Sale

BY GRACE LANCASTER

The community is fighting back against the proposed sale of two churches at Mount Vincent and Weston, which are planned to go under the hammer in order to fund redress measures for survivors of childhood abuse.

At a public meeting last Sunday, 170 members of Christ Church Mount Vincent and St Mary’s Weston argued against the sale - believing selling off the Parish is not a viable solution.

Convener of the Community and Congregation group, Barbara McPhee says there was great community opposition.

"There was not one dissenting voice at that meeting, everybody felt betrayed, sold out, afraid, confused...you know why would someone suddenly say you're not of any use or value we'll sell you as we see fit."

The Parish is now calling on the Bishop to recognise the church's value and to look to other measures to fulfil the redress. 

"It's not a matter of we're not willing to support the redress...absolutely we are supporting that, but we are not for sale just to support someone's idea of a different kind of church," she said.

Submissions to the Bishop and Diocesan Council against the sale will close on August 10.

Community members against the sale of the churches or wish to gain more information are encouraged to join an online Facebook Group.

Image: Anglican Newcastle

Former Newcastle Anglican Bishops Face Disciplinary Action

BY IAN CROUCH

Two former Anglican Bishops of Newcastle and a former Assistant Bishop are set to face disciplinary action in the wake of the Royal Commission into child sex abuse.

Fairfax reports Alfred Holland and Roger Herft were found to have turned a blind eye to ongoing abuse by a group of perpetrators, or displayed a weak and ineffectual response to abuse allegations.

They've been referred to the church's Standards Commission, while former Assistant Bishop, Richard Appleby will face the diocese's Professional Standards Committee after the Royal Commission found his denial of knowledge of abuse allegations implausible.

Alfred Holland

Roger Herft

Richard Appleby