CEO Report: December 2025

By Fiona Boyle, Kooyoora CEO

A Busy and Productive Quarter

Kooyoora has had an extraordinarily busy quarter, with a second round of synod season, multiple presentation opportunities and the onboarding of three new client organisations. It has been a significant team effort!

Synod Season and Engagement

Synod season remains one of the most valuable opportunities for connection, learning and collaboration. Katrina Thomas and Rachel Drysdale attended the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide, Mandy Hourigan and Julie Riley attended the Anglican Diocese of Willochra, and Kim Porter and I attended the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s synod. We presented on the work we do, how to use our services and how to respond to disclosures. We also provided a comprehensive synod report to the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.

Welcoming New Client Organisations

Kooyoora warmly welcomes the Anglican Diocese of Armidale, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Non-denominational Christians into our client group. We look forward to understanding their needs, providing services and working together to create safe environments.

Governance and Board-Level Safeguarding

We had the privilege to present at the Governance Briefing for members of, and those appointed to, Boards and Councils of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. This session focused on the critical role boards play in safeguarding and professional standards, directors’ duties and obligations, and ongoing challenges such as resourcing.

The discussion explored legal responsibilities, ethical and moral imperatives, trauma informed organisational responses, emerging research and the central role boards play in shaping organisational culture, arguably the most important ingredient in child safe systems.

Professional Standards and Legal Practice

Kooyoora also presented at the Anglican Law Conference, where the focus was professional standards legislation. We were privileged to be part of a presentation alongside Michael Shand KC, Mandy Tibby KC and Bishop Alison Taylor. Kooyoora’s contribution focused on the practical application of legislation, how it intersects with child safety systems and the influence it has on organisational culture.

Cultural Safety and Walkabout 2025

Cultural safety is central to trust, access and justice, and is therefore critical to Kooyoora’s work. Our journey this year included an 8-day cultural immersion experience via the Victorian Provincial Walkabout 2025.

We were honored to travel across the state to learn about bush medicine and tucker, meet First Nations community members, view artefacts and learn about their use. We also faced the important though difficult truth of history through visits to missions and massacre sites, hearing stories generously shared through the lens of resilience and hope. During this time, we also witnessed racism and cultural misappropriation, a confronting and sad reminder of the ongoing challenges for reconciliation.

International Engagement: Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia

Five team members met with the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia’s House of Bishops, Ministry Standards Commission and Survivor Experience Service. We presented to the House of Bishops on governance and safeguarding and gained valuable insight into the cultural limitations of existing processes, particularly in relation to Tikanga Māori and Tikanga Pasefika.

Registrars’ Conference and Clinical Services

Katrina Thomas, Rachel Drysdale and I attended the Anglican Church of Australia’s Registrars’ Conference, where we presented on Kooyoora’s Abuse Prevention Framework and introduced new and emerging clinical services. See our full presentation here. This conference provides a valuable opportunity to engage with all eight Australian Anglican registrars at once and to hear directly about the issues shaping their work and the challenges they face.

In mid December, I travelled to Fiji to attend the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia’s synod, to establish relationships and continue learning about the cultural needs of Polynesia. 

Organisational Safety and Wellbeing

Internally, Kooyoora successfully passed a 12-month external OHS review and consultancy. This review examined all systems of safety, with a particular focus on psychosocial hazards and compliance with new Victorian legislation.

While vicarious trauma is often assumed to be the primary psychosocial risk in our work, the review identified customer violence, including verbal and written aggression directed at staff, as the most significant hazard. Kooyoora has a number of risk mitigators in place and will continue to strengthen these controls.

Board Planning

Finally, the Kooyoora Board held its annual planning day. The agenda focused on progress against the strategic plan, presentations from the leadership team on emerging patterns and opportunities, and expert insights into the use of AI. It was a productive and forward looking day, with exciting opportunities ahead for the organisation.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Looking ahead, 2026 will bring both new challenges and opportunities. Kooyoora will continue to innovate in safeguarding practice, deepen partnerships with organisations committed to integrity, and advocate for systemic change that prioritises safety, fairness and accountability.

None of this work would be possible without the dedication of our team, the trust of our partners and the courage of those who come forward. Together, we are shaping a future where accountability is not just a principle, but a lived reality.

I wish you a safe, restful and joyful holiday season, and look forward to a new year of progress and purpose.