Standing Committee of Synod



        Introduction

        The Standing Committee is the executive arm of Synod, which performs the functions of the Synod between annual Synod meetings. It consists of 56 members, both clergy and lay people, and includes representation from each of the five diocesan regions.

        Standing Committee usually meets 10 times each year and is chaired by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel. As the ‘Synod in Recess’, the Standing Committee’s minute book is laid on the table at the beginning of each Synod session and its report, including audited financial statements, is circulated before each session.

        Reports of the Standing Committee for the current and previous years can also be found below.


        Constitution and Functions

        The Standing Committee of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney is constituted under the Standing Committee Ordinance 1897, which also outlines a number of its main powers. Other relevant ordinances relating to the powers of the Standing Committee include:

        Cost Recoveries Framework Ordinance 2008

        Accounts, Audits and Annual Reports Ordinance 1995

        Delegation of Powers Ordinance 1998

         

        The Standing Committee's main functions include:

        1. Making arrangements, preparing and proposing business for the Synod and printing a report of Synod proceedings.
        2. Defraying the expenses of the Synod and the Standing Committee and paying other sums authorised by the Synod.
        3. Being a council of advice to the Archbishop (the "Archbishop-in-Council")
        4. Agreeing to the appointment of assistant bishops and archdeacons and to certain categories of expenditure from the Endowment of the See.
        5. Considering and reporting upon any matter which the Synod refers to the Standing Committee and carrying out the resolutions of the Synod.
        6. Deliberating and conferring upon matters affecting the interests of the Church and within the jurisdiction of the Synod.
        7. Making enquiries, communicating with Government and other persons and presenting petitions and addresses.
        8. Making ordinances.
        9. Having custody of all books, documents or other property of the Synod and all other property belonging to the Church in the Diocese of Sydney not vested in any other body or person.
        10. Exercising other powers prescribed by the Synod (such as giving policy directions to the Property Trust and the Secretariat, filling casual vacancies among persons appointed to various committees by the Synod, preparing income and expenditure ordinances, etc).

        Decision making

        The Standing Committee is involved in two kinds of decision-making processes. The first and most straightforward is when the Standing Committee simply passes a resolution. The Archbishop does not have to concur in the making of such a resolution.

        The second is a two-step process known as the Archbishop-in-Council. An Act of the Archbishop-in-Council is a decision of the Archbishop acting on the advice of the Standing Committee. In this process, the Standing Committee will first pass a resolution recommending to the Archbishop a certain course of action. The Archbishop will then decide whether to approve the recommendation and, if so, an Act of the Archbishop-in-Council is made.

        Membership and Subcommittees

        The Standing Committee consists of 55 members—both clergy and lay—who are appointed either by virtue of the office they hold (ex-officio members) or by being elected at a session of the Synod. In addition to members elected by the whole Synod, each region of the Diocese elects members as their representatives on the Standing Committee.

        Click here for a full list of current Standing Committee Members.

         

        The Standing Committee has also established a number of permanent subcommittees to deal with specific and/or recurring matters. Each subcommittee has terms of reference under which it operates and other regulations regarding, for example, the ratio of clergy to lay members and how many members must also be members of Standing Committee.

        Click here for further information on each of the subcommittees.

        Scheduled Meeting Dates

        2024  
        12 February 2024 22 July 2024
        25 March 2024 19 August 2024
        22 April 2024 21 October 2024
        20 May 2024 18 November 2024
        24 June 2024 9 December 2024

         

        2025  
        10 February 2025 28 July 2025
        24 March 2025 18 August 2025
        28 April 2025 20 October 2025
        26 May 2025 17 November 2025
        23 June 2025 8 December 2025

        Standing Committee Reports 


        Records of past Standing Committee meetings (2009 +). Please note: Some matters are confidential and will not be reported online. A full report of the Standing Committee's deliberations is provided to Synod members each year.

        Policies of the Standing Committee

        The Standing Committee has agreed to a number of policies that guide its decisions in relation to certain areas, in particular to property transactions.  These policies are available in the Policies of the Standing Committee document.

        Contact

        All correspondence for the Standing Committee should be sent to the Diocesan Secretary, at:
         

        The Diocesan Secretary
        PO Box Q190
        QVB Post Office NSW 1230


        For delivery:

        The Diocesan Secretary
        Level 2
        St Andrew’s House
        Sydney Square NSW 2000

        Email: DiocesanSecretary@sydney.anglican.asn.au