PSU director appointed

Mrs Liz Crawford has been appointed Director of the LCA Professional Standards Unit (PSU). She has been acting as Interim Director for the last six months after being seconded from the LCAQD where she was Professional Standards Director.

She says, ‘By implementing Professional Standards practices, we are doing all we can to ensure that all who engage with the church are kept safe from harm. Harm may be physical, emotional or spiritual. And the church itself needs to be kept safe from harm, in its reputation and its finances.

‘But the church needs to go beyond what the laws of the land demand’, Mrs Crawford says. ‘The church of Jesus Christ cares for people, and so it takes one more important step in the resolution of complaints and difficulties — healing through forgiveness and reconciliation.’

Mrs Crawford is a practising Christian and a lawyer. Prior to working as PSU Director in Queensland, she was the senior legal counsel for another denomination in Sydney for ten years.

Explaining the importance of the PSU, Executive Officer of the Church Trevor Ruthenberg says that, first of all, the church is called to care.

‘We care for children, the vulnerable and weak, those who can’t speak for themselves and people who come across our paths. We care because our Lord Jesus Christ asks us to.’

There is also the issue of legal responsibilities, he adds. ‘There are many situations that every pastor, church council member, ministry team member, Sunday school teacher and parishioner will come across that are now covered by some piece of legislation. The Occupational Health and Safety legislation that applies to every workplace in Australia also applies to every congregation in Australia. This is true too for Child Safe and Work Cover legislation, and these laws often change from state to state.

‘We are not exempt from obeying the laws of the land and adhering to the expectations of the wider community. No matter how the broad community interacts with the LCA — through a school, an aged-care service, a youth event or a Sunday service — we must care for them and provide a safe environment.

‘We understand that people in church are confused about all these things. They say, “Why does the government make it so hard? Can’t we go back to the way it was? Why do we have to fill in all these forms?”’ Mr Ruthenberg says.

At their February meeting General Church Council (GCC) approved the creation of a PSU in order to help congregations and members address these and other questions. The PSU will report to the Executive Officer of the Church and will be funded by the surplus from the LCA Insurance Fund each year.

‘By spreading this cost across all insured assets, the actual impact on insurance premiums annually will be minimal’, explains Mr Ruthenberg. ‘This is truly a great example of the benefits of working as synod together.’

Over the coming months Mrs Crawford will be working with district administrators and other stakeholders to determine the best way to implement the draft PSU policies. The new PSU structure, policies, processes and procedures will be presented to General Church Council, which will make recommendation to the 2013 General Convention of Synod for their adoption.

Over time the LCA will be moving to act within the new PSU framework ‘in a deliberate and considered manner’, Mr Ruthenberg says. In the meantime, congregations should continue to adhere to the Safe Place and Child Safe policies and training their representatives have received.