The Anglican Church has rejected calls by two Adelaide priests for an independent investigation into a pedophile network which allegedly operated in South Australia and Tasmania for nearly 40 years.
Archbishop Ian George said last night an inquiry was "not necessary" because the Adelaide Diocese had acted "promptly and appropriately" to accusations a former youth leader had sexually abused young boys and teenagers.
He was responding to public allegations by Reverend Don Owers and Reverend Andrew King that former Church of England Boys Society chief commissioner Robert Brandenburg was part of a group of senior Anglicans in SA and Tasmania who had preyed on CEBS members since the 1960s.
"There is no evidence of any network of pedophiles operating within the Diocese of Adelaide or, as has been suggested, linked with other dioceses," Archbishop George said.
Defending himself against claims he was told about Brandenburg's activities in 1999 but had failed to take adequate action, he said he had "no inkling" of the seriousness of the allegations "until recently".
"This situation became formally known to the Church in late November last year," he said.
"Since then, solicitors representing all parties have been engaged in on-going communication to resolve the matters."
Archbishop George rejected claims by Reverend Owers and Reverend King his administration had failed to disclose the seriousness and extent of the sexual abuse of boys by Brandenburg since he first was alerted to the allegations in April, 1999.
"All our efforts have been aimed at achieving a satisfactory outcome for victims and this must not be compromised through undue haste," he said.
"My concern for anyone who has suffered sexual abuse is heartfelt and, like them, I wish to see outstanding matters finalised as soon as possible."
This is despite correspondence between Dr Owers, Archbishop George and his former deputy, now Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, showing the Adelaide Diocese took three years to set up a taskforce to investigate child sex abuse.
Dr Owers and Mr King yesterday called for an independent inquiry into the church's handling of the Brandenburg case, saying they had been unsuccessfully calling for an investigation, counselling for victims and a public apology for four years.
"Don and I are deeply concerned that our Church has failed to respond adequately to complaints of child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Adelaide," Mr King said.
"The information we have concerning the seriousness of this abuse is that it is not only extensive - involving a number of parishes - it has also occurred over an extraordinary period, approaching four decades.
"It is our view that our Church's failure to disclose the existence of this abuse has left victims and their families to suffer alone and in ignorance."
Dr Owers - who has spent three years investigating the activities of Brandenburg and three disgraced Anglican priests in Tasmania - said he and Mr King had been forced into calling for an independent inquiry because the Church had not responded to their calls for action.
"We want to stress we have come to this point reluctantly and have taken this action because we feel the Church has not responded adequately to complaints of child sexual abuse," he said. "We believe our Church's lack of appropriate action has caused further suffering that might have been avoided."
While Archbishop George yesterday rejected the calls for an inquiry, Archbishop Aspinall admitted the Brandenburg allegations could have been handled better.
He confirmed the Church had received advice from its insurer that any attempt to track down further victims of Brandenburg would result in its insurance being invalidated.
"I was sympathetic to the views expressed by the priest in Adelaide to name publicly, to make a public statement, and to seek out other victims," he said.
"But we were advised at the time by the insurers in particular that we could not do anything that might be tantamount to eliciting further claims that could invalidate our insurances."