Australian Story: May 8

Australian Story on Monday revisits a story of historic sexual abuse in the Anglican Church.

Beth Heinrich’s life was permanently changed by events she experienced as a teenager.   

Now in her 80s, she’s still campaigning for justice from the Anglican Church.  

Heinrich was sexually abused by an Anglican priest, Donald Shearman, in the 1950s. The Anglican Church subsequently defrocked Shearman and paid Beth a lump sum.   

But Heinrich remains unhappy with how Dr Peter Hollingworth, during his time as Archbishop of Brisbane, handled her original complaint about the abuse and how he spoke about her publicly.   

Recently she read aloud her victim impact statement to a hearing of the Melbourne Anglican Professional Standards Board, which examined how Dr Hollingworth handled complaints from survivors in the 1990s.   

This is the latest chapter in a long-running saga that’s spanned decades.

Australian Story first touched on Heinrich’s story in 2002, during an interview with then Governor-General Hollingworth. Comments he made about her provoked heated public debate.   

He stepped down from the vice-regal post 15 months later.   

Australian Story then told her story in 2005.   

Today Beth Heinrich feels she has an obligation to keep holding the church to account.   

“I feel this is my chance to speak up”, she says from her home in regional Victoria. “It’s an example for others and hopefully it will give them strength to keep at it.”   

Peter Hollingworth, a retired bishop in his 80s, has expressed remorse for the way he handled Beth’s complaint and admits he has ‘made mistakes’ but would never blame a child for sexual abuse. 

Producer: Belinda Hawkins.

8pm Monday on ABC.

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