Governance

The leadership and management of our Diocese and its Christian expression in the life of the Anglican Church community is important to us.  

We believe passionately in ensuring our Church community is safe in all aspects of our shared lives and we strive at all times to create a safe, welcoming and engaging community culture as we live in God's creation.  Consequently, with our governance structures, systems, policies and practices together with our leaders and all our members, we hold this as a core commitment in all aspects of our faith, lives and culture. 

The leadership of the Diocese is held partially by the Trustees who are a group of appointed and elected persons, both clergy and lay members who represent and act legally as the ‘owners’ of the Diocese, making the legal and financial decisions on behalf of the Diocese. 

The Trustees work alongside the members of Bishop-in-Council, the Standing Committee of Synod which is the Church's governing body of the Diocese. 

Bishop-in-Council membership includes the Trustees and other individuals who are elected and appointed at Synod and by the Bishop.

Both Trustees and Council members meet together a minimum of five times a year.  Synod members, comprising the Bishop, clergy together with representative lay members elected by each of the parishes, gather once a year in October and Trustees and Bishop-in-Council members report back to Synod.  The Statutes and Canons (Church legislation) provide the establishment, responsibilities and behaviours for these two leadership and governance bodies and they can be found in the Statutes section of the website. 

Synod runs over a three year period or triennium, with a minimum of three annual meetings per Synod, known as Sessions.

Current members of the Diocesan Trustees and Council were elected or appointed at the first session of the 40th Synod for the period 2018-2020 and are as follows: 

Trustees: 

• The Rt Rev’d Dr Ian Coutts, Bishop of the Diocese of Bunbury and Chairperson*
• The Ven. Julie Baker, Archdeacon*
• Mr Stephen Biggar*
• The Hon. Kevin Prince, Diocesan Chancellor*
• Dr Renae Barker, Diocesan Advocate*
• The Rev’d Lindy Rookyard
• The Rev’d James Tabor
• Ms Marilyn Royer
• Mrs Rosemary Cussons
• Mr Peter Fitzgibbon

Bishop-in-Council Members additionally include:

• The Rev’d Cn Karon Austin
• The Rev’d Cn Linley Matthews-Want
• The Rev’d Ian Mabey
• Mrs Robyn Depiazzi
• Ms Elisabeth Pellicaan
• Mr Bruce Sherborne
• Mrs Susan Davis
• The Very Rev’d Darryl Cotton, Dean of St Boniface Cathedral*

*Ex Officio

Two Standing Committees of Trustees and Council:

• The Litigation Standing Committee
• The Diocesan Safe Ministry Authority

Three Working Parties

• Finance
• Sustainable Living 
• Social Responsibilities

There are a number of other Diocesan bodies and entities and more details can be found the Ministries’ section on the website.