As National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) invites Australians to reflect on our shared history, Kooyoora’s CEO Fiona Boyle considers what reconciliation means in the context of safeguarding, integrity and accountability. In this update, Fiona reinforces the importance of listening with humility, learning through respectful engagement, and recognising that safety includes cultural, emotional and psychological dimensions. Read the full report.

Kooyoora CEO Fiona Boyle sat down with the Deadly Grannies on Dja Dja Wurrung Country to reflect on their experience of the 2025 Provincial Walkabout. In a conversation marked by honesty, warmth, grief and humour, they shared what it means to learn on Country, listen deeply and walk together through truth-telling, connection and community.

We are pleased to share Kooyoora’s 2025 Annual Report. We invite you to download and read the full report to learn more about our work, impact and priorities for the year ahead.

Kooyoora has achieved full accreditation under the QIC Health and Community Services Standards (7th Edition v1.1, 2024), following assessment by Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP). This important milestone provides independent recognition that Kooyoora meets nationally recognised standards and reflects a strong focus on quality, accountability and continuous improvement in how services are delivered.

2026 has started at a fast pace, with demand for Kooyoora’s services reflecting not only our role as a trusted independent body but also the pressures felt across communities. This report shares the key developments over the past few months, including new strategic partnerships, improvements to our systems and training, the launch of Te Pae Whaiti in New Zealand, preparations for our second accreditation, the welcoming of new Professional Standards Volunteers and Board members and more.

Cultural safety is central to trust, access and justice, and remains critical to Kooyoora’s safeguarding work. As part of this commitment, CEO Fiona Boyle participated in the Victorian Provincial Walkabout 2025, an eight day journey created by the Anglican Church to deepen understanding of Victoria’s colonial history and the ongoing impacts on First Peoples. This followed Kooyoora’s participation in a previous Walkabout held in the Northern Territory in 2024. The 2025 journey, organised by Reverend Canon Shannon Smith and Ken Hutton, executive officer to the Archbishop of Melbourne, was undertaken in response to the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission and supports deeper learning through place-based engagement, community connection and truth telling.

In 2025, the Kooyoora team spent a significant amount of time on the road, travelling across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific to meet with the people we serve. From major cities to regional and remote communities, staff travelled thousands of kilometres to sit face to face with individuals seeking redress, deliver training, attend conferences and take part in key gatherings across church and community sectors. Our 2025 Kooyoora Staff Travel Map shows the breadth of this work and the many places where conversations, learning and trust building took place throughout the year.

As 2025 comes to a close, Kooyoora reflects on an extraordinary quarter of connection, growth and impact. From synod engagements across multiple dioceses to welcoming new client organisations, presenting on governance and safeguarding, and deepening our cultural safety work in Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia, it has been a period of significant achievements.

Read the full CEO report to explore our work in detail, including key initiatives, organisational priorities and our vision for 2026

Kooyoora provides independent professional standards services to seven Anglican Dioceses in Australia and thirteen Dioceses and Amorangi in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Originating with the Anglican Dioceses of Melbourne and Bendigo, the service model has evolved over six years to meet the needs of each diocese. Based on a continuum of independence, services range from fully managed end-to-end delivery to specific components such as investigations, clearances, and redress, depending on each diocese’s requirements. This article outlines how dioceses retain ownership of their frameworks, while Kooyoora delivers services through a structure that ensures transparency, fairness, and accountability, maintaining a clear commitment to truth telling and independence.

In 2025, the Kooyoora Office of Professional Standards welcomes several new appointments across the Professional Standards Committee, Board, and Review Board, as well as the appointment of a new Ombudsman. These appointments support Kooyoora’s independent statutory role in handling complaints, screening, redress, and training for the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. New appointees bring extensive experience across legal, academic, and community sectors.

At Kooyoora, we know that how we communicate, internally and externally, matters. It shapes our relationships, our culture, and our ability to support safer, fairer organisations. In April, our team took part in a full-day communication workshop with Leah Mether, focused on building habits that strengthen trust, clarity, and connection. From that session, we committed to three core behaviours that now guide how we work together across Australia and New Zealand.

Since 2017, Kooyoora has grown from a diocesan initiative into a trusted, independent safeguarding organisation supporting 23 clients across Australia and New Zealand. Built on principles of transparency, fairness, and survivor-focused practice, Kooyoora is now entering a new chapter, defining its own voice and identity as a leader in safeguarding, with a focus on clear communication, adaptability, and ongoing impact.

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued support and collaboration throughout the year. When working in the areas of darkness, we are always amazed at the lightness we find in actions of courage, honesty, selflessness, tenacity and compassion. All part of the jigsaw in creating a safe organisation. Looking back, it has been a year of significant achievements and important milestones for Kooyoora. We’ve made progress in our initiatives and deepened our partnerships. Here are some of our key highlights from 2024.