Victorian commission investigating Anglican diocese’s handling of child safety complaints

St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne. The Victorian commission for children and young people has begun investigating the Melbourne Anglican diocese’s process for handling child safety complaints about clerical leadership. Photograph: Scott Barbour/AAP

Victoria’s child safety commission has quietly launched an investigation into the Anglican Melbourne diocese’s handling of child safety complaints in the wake of criticism over the Peter Hollingworth case, documents show.

The Anglican church has faced renewed criticism over the protracted, secretive process to potentially defrock Hollingworth, a former Brisbane archbishop and Australia’s 23rd governor general, for failing to act on child abuse allegations.