Anglican primate ends turbulent reign with early retirement

January 8, 2004

The head of the Anglican Church in Australia, Dr Peter Carnley, has announced that he will step down next year, ending a controversial reign marked by internal church disputes over homosexuality and the role of women in the church. Archbishop Carnley said yesterday that he would retire as primate and as Anglican Archbishop of Perth in May next year, marking the 24th anniversary of his consecration and installation as archbishop.

Dr Carnley was anointed as Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia in 2000. Earlier he had ordained Australia first women priests. He will be 67 when he retires, two years before the compulsory retirement age for clergy in the diocese. Dr Carnley said he was announcing his retirement early to provide an opportunity for a successor to be  appointed and to take up the position with minimal interruption. His final official engagements would be in February next year.

He said that over his years in Perth, there have been some ups and downs but, generally speaking, the downs have been few and overshadowed by far by the positively life-giving and good things that we have experienced.

Dr Carnley’s liberal stance on many issues has attracted fierce criticism from church conservatives.

He has also been critical of the Howard Government policies on asylum seekers and the war in Iraq.

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