Speeches
Saturday, 07 March 2026
Installation of the new Anglican Archbishop
Rod and I are pleased to join you all today, in our official capacity and as parishioners, to welcome the Most Reverend Dr Bradley Billings as the 11th Bishop and 6th Archbishop of Adelaide.
I am heartened to see amongst us guests from across Australia – a rich expression of fellowship.
As I mentioned at the farewell service for the Right Reverend Geoffrey Smith, there are close and long-standing ties between St Peter's Cathedral and Government House.
These ties go all the way back to Bishop Short, the first Bishop of Adelaide, who lived for a time at Government House alongside Governor Robe and his family.
Bishop Short is surely with us today in spirit, and, in part, in person, as it is his crosier that Archbishop Billings now carries.
Archbishop, as you know, the Diocese of Adelaide was founded only 11 years after Adelaide’s establishment, in a settlement built upon the principle of freedom of expression among all denominations.
That founding spirit of openness and civic purpose has continued to shape the Church's character, and our state’s, ever since.
It is reflected in other milestones, such as the Diocese’s historical commitment to bringing women into leadership roles, such as being among the first in Australia to ordain women[1], and the first to invite a woman to preach in a cathedral – this very one - in 1928.[2]
This Diocese has a sustained advocacy for the care of creation - as do you, Archbishop.
Friends,
I know how much care the Synod takes over its processes: Diocese-wide consultation, nominations, short listings and meetings, a secret ballot.
It’s a process of great deliberation, reflecting the deep sense of responsibility to the members of the Diocese the Archbishop will now serve.
Archbishop, I note your exceptional record of service to the church, your experience across multiple parishes and your scholarship.
I welcome the priority you have given, throughout your life in the church, to reconciliation and the pursuit of social justice more broadly.
These are areas where the Anglican Church has made a notable contribution to the life of this state, and they are priorities we share.
You have a leadership role among Anglicans, while also occupying a significant place in the broader civic and spiritual life of our state.
I look forward to working with you as you serve South Australians, and work among other faith leaders in our community, building bridges and fostering understanding and a sense of inclusion across diverse traditions.
Rod and I also warmly welcome your wife Karen to Adelaide.
Archbishop Brad, congratulations on your installation today.
We welcome your leadership as you remind us of God’s love for us all, right to the last.
[1] The Diocese of Perth ordained women in March 1992 - ahead of the 1992 General Synod Canon. Adelaide and Melbourne followed later that year.
[2] Bishop Thomas invited Englishwoman Maude Royden to preach from the St Peter’s Cathedral pulpit in 1928, on her national speaking tour: https://www.auswhn.com.au/blog/sex-in-the-pulpit/