Donald Shearman

Donald Norman Shearman (born 6 February 1926[1]) is a former bishop of the Anglican Church of Australia.[2]

Shearman was educated at Orange High School. After World War II service with the Royal Australian Air Force he studied for the priesthood at St John's Theological College, Morpeth. Ordained in 1950,[3] his first post was a curacy at Dubbo. Later he was Warden of St John's Hostel, Forbes then Rector of Coonabarabran. His last post before being ordained to the episcopate was as Archdeacon of Mildura.[4] In 1963 he became Bishop of Rockhampton,[5] (he was consecrated a bishop on 24 February 1964 at St John's Cathedral (Brisbane))[6] a post he held for eight years. After two years as Chairman of the Australian Board of Missions[7] he became Bishop of Grafton in 1973, serving until 1985.[8] He resigned his holy orders in 2003 and was later defrocked.[9]

Shearman was the subject of a submission to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.[10] In 2007 Shearman's OBE that he was awarded in 1978 was revoked, following being defrocked for sexual assault[11]