No 35, 1998

An Ordinance to assent to Canon No 16, 1998 of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia.

The Synod of the Diocese of Sydney Ordains -

Name of Ordinance

1. This Ordinance is the General Synod - Constitution Alteration (Composition of General Synod) Canon 1998 Assenting Ordinance 1998.

Assent to Canon No 16, 1998

2. The Synod assents to Canon No 16, 1998 of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia, the text of which is set out in the Schedule.

Schedule

Whereas the General Synod recognises the unique historical status of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, and hence also, the unique relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous people, both within and without the Anglican Church of Australia.

Now the General Synod prescribes as follows:-

1. Section 11 of the Constitution is amended by deleting the words “Primate metropolitans and diocesan bishops” and by substituting the words “members of the House of Bishops”.

2. Section 16 of the Constitution is amended by deleting the words “and diocesan bishops” and by substituting the words “the diocesan bishops and any bishop who becomes a member of General Synod pursuant to the provisions of subsection 17(8)(a)(i)”.

3. Section 17 of the Constitution is amended:

(1) in subsection (1) by adding at the end the words “and any bishop, priest or deacon who becomes a member of General Synod pursuant to the provisions of section 17(8)(a)(ii)”;

(2) in subsection (2) by adding at the end the words “and any lay person who becomes a member of General Synod pursuant to the provisions of section 17(8)”;

(3) in sub-section (3) by adding the words “of a diocese” after the word “representative”;

(4) in sub-section (4) by adding the words “of a diocese” after the word “representatives” where it first appears;

(5) by adding a new sub-section (8) as follows:

“(8) (a) For every session of Synod the members of Synod shall include non-diocesan representatives being

(i) an Aboriginal bishop and a Torres Straight Islander bishop who shall be members of the House of Bishops;

(ii) an Aboriginal bishop, priest or deacon and a Torres Strait Islander bishop, priest or deacon who shall be members of the House of Clergy; and

(iii) an Aboriginal lay person and a Torres Strait Islander lay person who shall be members of the house of Laity.

(b) Non-diocesan representatives shall be appointed by the Primate on the recommendation of the body appointed by Canon for that purpose.

(c) The Primate shall cause non-diocesan representatives to be summoned or convened to a session of Synod as may be specified by Canon.

(d) A non-diocesan representative must be a communicant member of this Church who is otherwise qualified as may be specified by Canon.

(e) A non-diocesan representative shall be entitled to such vote in Synod as is permitted or authorised by this Constitution but such vote shall not be counted for the purpose of determining whether a canon or resolution has been assented to by a majority of all dioceses. “

4. Section 19 of the Constitution is amended by adding to sub-section (1) immediately after the word “Synod” where secondly appearing the words “and notwithstanding any failure to elect or appoint any non-diocesan representatives of Synod”.

5. Sub-section 27(1)(i) of the Constitution is amended by adding the words “and to each non-diocesan representative” after the word “diocese”.

6. Section 74 of the Constitution is amended by inserting the following paragraph:

“(10) In this Constitution a reference to an Aboriginal person is a reference to a person of the Aboriginal race to Australia; and a reference to a Torres Strait Island person is a reference to a person who is a descendant of the indigenous inhabitants of the Torres Strait Islands. ”

7. This Canon shall come into effect on a date appointed by the President not earlier than three months nor later than six months from the date upon which he so determines after at least three quarters of the diocesan synods of this Church including all of the metropolitan sees have assented to it by ordinance and all such assents are in force at the same time.

8. This Canon may be cited as “Constitution Alteration (Composition of General Synod) Canon 1998”.

I Certify that the Ordinance as printed is in accordance with the Ordinance as reported.

N.M. CAMERON
Chairman of Committees

We Certify that this Ordinance was passed by the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney on 13 October 1998.

M.A. PAYNE
C.J. MORONEY
Secretaries of Synod

I Assent to this Ordinance.

R.H. GOODHEW
Archbishop of Sydney
29/10/1998