Australian archbishop resigns in wake of probe into child abuse

Anglican Archbishop of Perth Roger Herft, one of Australia's most senior church figures, has resigned after admitting he had failed to inform police about alleged child abuse by a senior cleric.

The resignation, reported by the Australian media on Friday, makes Archbishop Herft the highest-ranking casualty of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

Reverend Herft, who has been Archbishop of Perth since 2005, stood aside in October to focus his attention on the Royal Commission's inquiry into Dean of Newcastle Graeme Lawrence who had sexually abused children.

Herft served as the bishop of Newcastle between 1993 and 2005. Lawrence was defrocked by the Church in 2012 but he has not been charged by police.

In a statement late on Thursday, the Church revealed that Archbishop Herft would not return to his position. "The Archbishop of Perth, The Most Reverend Roger Herft, informed the Diocesan Council today of his decision to retire a year ahead of schedule, namely 7 July 2017," the Church said.

Herft gave evidence at the Royal Commission in August that he was told about the sex abuse of children but failed to tell the police about it.

He finished his testimony with an apology to the people of Newcastle.

"I let them down badly," he said at the time. "[I have] let down the survivors in a way that remorse itself is a very poor emotion to express."

As a result of that admission, victims' advocacy groups had demanded his resignation.

Archbishop Herft thanked the royal commission in August for holding him "personally accountable" throughout the duration of the hearing, which took place over two weeks in the New South Wales city.

The Archbishop also said that he believed first-hand accounts from survivors would lead to mass alterations within the Anglican Church.

Reverend Herft has been on long service leave since concluding his royal commission testimony, and will take accrued leave until he retires in July.

In a statement issued by the Anglican Diocese of Perth, the Church thanked the Archbishop for his 43 years of service.

It said a successor would be appointed in early 2017. Enditem