TENSIONS in the Anglican Diocese of Ballarat have reached the highest levels of the church in Australia.
A group of disaffected clergy travelled to Brisbane just before Christmas to air grievances over the Bishop of Ballarat Michael Hough.
In the meeting, which reportedly lasted more than two hours, priests met with the Primate of the Anglican Church in Australia, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall.
The Primate is seen as the spiritual leader of Australia's Anglicans, who number close to four million.
It is believed Archbishop Aspinall put several proposals to the group and gave assurances that action would be taken.
A full inquiry by the Episcopal Standards Commission of the church, which was established in 2004 to hear complaints against bishops, could follow.
The Brisbane meeting followed a failed mediation session in Melbourne on December 2 and 3 between Bishop Hough and members of the Ballarat Diocese comprising both lay members of the church and reportedly more than half of the clergy.
The session was arranged by Michael Shand, QC, who is chancellor of both the Melbourne and Ballarat dioceses.
Mr Shand later reported to the Bishop-in-Council _ the church body which oversees the Ballarat Diocese _ that the mediation process had failed.
It is understood that complaints against Bishop Hough centre around his leadership style and treatment of clergy.
Yesterday Bishop Hough confirmed the Melbourne mediation.
"The parties involved signed a confidentiality agreement and I intend to maintain the integrity of that," he said.
Bishop Hough said the Ballarat Diocese _ which included 22 parishes stretching as far as Portland and Apollo Bay _ only had 2000 regular church goers.
"I find it extremely difficult being the spiritual and religious leader of this church at this time because nothing is certain," he said.
"You can't run it as it is because what is there is disappearing. You're not sure what the future shape will be.
"So I'm not sure about my leadership style except to say I'm constantly trying to explore ways of better dealing with the life of this church and its needs.
"So sometimes I get it right and sometimes I get it wrong.
"Sometimes people will like it and sometimes they won't.
"I see that as a key role as bishop, gathering people together so that the people are directly involved in running their church."