Phillip Aspinall

Aspinall was born in Hobart Tasmania, Australia, on 17 December 1959.

He holds degrees in science from the University of Tasmania, theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity through Trinity College (University of Melbourne) and the United Faculty of Theology, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University and a PhD in education from Monash University.[2]

Aspinall worked as a computer programmer for the Tasmanian Education Department. He has worked in a number of roles in the Anglican Church in Tasmania and Victoria: with the Diocese of Tasmania as diocesan field officer for the Anglican Boys’ Society, the diocesan youth and education officer; deputy warden at Christ College in the University of Tasmania (1980 to 1984); director of parish education at St Stephen's Church, Mount Waverley, in the Diocese of Melbourne (1985).

Aspinall was ordained a deacon in Tasmania on 25 July 1987 and a priest two years later. He served as assistant curate, assistant priest and parish priest in various locations in Tasmania including Claremont. He was director of Anglicare Tasmania (1994–1999) was Archdeacon for Church and Society for two years.

Aspinall was consecrated as a bishop on 29 June 1999 in Adelaide where he served as an assistant bishop until December 2001.

In 2003, a widely reported allegation of child sexual abuse by another priest, Louis Daniels, in Tasmania implicated Aspinall as being associated with the circumstances leading to the alleged abuse. Aspinall denied that he was in any way involved with the circumstances of the alleged abuse.[3] The archbishop conceded he had written a reference for Daniels when he was sentenced in 1999. Aspinall was mentioned in the royal commission investigating sexual abuse in organisations.[4]

By his own admission, Aspinall was surprised by a "no religion" campaign which was launched by an atheist lobby group in the lead-up to the 2011 Census.[5]

In terms of social justice issues, Aspinall has spoken out against the ill-treatment of asylum seekers.[6]

Aspinall has encouraged new money-making ventures for the diocese. During the cathedral's completion several fundraising efforts were made. He has also initiated ventures to allow parishioners to tithe via direct debit and leave their estates to the diocese by distributing information about creating wills that favour the diocese.[7]

Between the retirement of Philip Freier on 31 March 2020 and the election of Geoffrey Smith on 7 April 2020, Aspinall served as interim primate.[8]

Aspinall is married to Christa Aspinall.[9]

• Biography on the Anglican Church of Australia's official website
• "Phillip Aspinall Interview", Sunday Profile, ABC website