1. The Rev Dr John Bunyan asked -

(a) With reference to the net receipts of parishes and provisional parishes listed from page 312 of the Synod papers, in which cases do these include moneys received from the Diocese including Regional Councils and Anglicare by way of subsidy and financial support for any purpose, and what are the total amounts received in that way by each of those particular parishes and provisional parishes?

(b) Has any consideration been given by the Archbishop or Standing Committee to following the example of Melbourne Diocese and appointing an appropriate person to assist members of the clergy in funding short-term or long-term locums during any intended absence and to record the names of clergy available for locum ministry?

(c) What percentage of a Rector's stipend was paid by a parish each year for the purposes of superannuation in 1978 and what percentage is paid in 1998?

To which the President replied -

(a) Grants from the Archbishop's Vision 2001 Appeals, the Sydney Anglican Home Mission Society, the Regional Councils and the Endowment of the See are excluded from Net Receipts pursuant to proviso (vii) of clause 3 of the Assessment Authorisation Ordinance 1975. There may be subsidies or financial support paid to parochial units by other parishes or diocesan organisations but such receipts may not be separately shown as such in parish audited accounts. This information could only be determined by requesting it from each parish council.

(b) No, because our current practice is for the Regional Archdeacons to assist incumbents in arranging suitable locum tenens to cover absences. They are aware of the availability of suitable clergy for these positions.

(c) 1978 - The amount of the superannuation contribution payable by the parish was $253.80 per annum. It is difficult to say what this represents as a percentage of the recommended minimum stipend for an incumbent because it was calculated on a sliding scale according to the number of years in holy orders and the age of the incumbent. However, the superannuation contribution was about 3.4% of the recommended minimum stipend for a second year minister. Also, the minister and the diocese each made a contribution of an amount equal to the parish contribution. Therefore for a second year minister the total of the superannuation contributions was about 10% of the recommended minimum stipend.

1998 -17% of the minimum stipend. No personal contribution is required to be made