9. The Rev Peter Robinson asked -

Under what head of power did Standing Committee initiate and then conduct its enquiry into the Anglican Counselling Centre?

To which the President replied -

The power of the Standing Committee to initiate and conduct its enquiry into the Anglican Counselling Centre arises under several ordinances including, in particular -

(a) clause 5(1) of the Delegation of Powers Ordinance 1995 under which the Standing Committee may exercise the powers and functions of the Synod under the specified sections of the Anglican Church of Australia Trust Property Act 1917 and the Anglican Church of Australia (Bodies Corporate) Act 1938, and the specified clauses of the 1902 Constitutions; and

(b) the Standing Committee Ordinance 1897, in particular, clause 4(3) under which the Standing Committee has power to, among other things -

"deliberate and confer upon all matters affecting the interest of the Church and cognisable by the Synod [and] may make such enquiries as they shall deem to be requisite"; and

(c) the Anglican Counselling Centre Constitution Ordinance 1963 and, in particular, clause 16 which provides, so far as is relevant, that -

"The Council shall furnish to the ... Standing Committee of Synod any information as to the Organisation's affairs which it may be requested so to do in pursuance of a resolution of ... Standing Committee ...".