Archbishop Phillip Aspinall

Diocese of Brisbane
The Most Rev Dr Phillip Aspinall, Archbishop of Brisbane was elected Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia in July 2005.

In October. 2008, Dr Aspinall was re-elected as Primate by a Board of Electors comprising diocesan bishops and representative clergy and laity.

In his role as Primate, he retains his position as Archbishop of Brisbane.

In February 2007, the Archbishop was appointed as a Member of the Standing Committee of the Primates' Meeting of the Anglican Communion and member [ex officio] of the Anglican Consultative Council.

Archbishop Aspinall was consecrated Bishop in 1998, when he went to serve as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Adelaide. He was elected Archbishop of Brisbane in 2001.

Born in Hobart on 17 December 1959, he began his working life as a computer programmer for the Tasmanian Education Department on a project to develop the use of micro-computers to improve numeracy and literacy.

From 1980 to 1984 he worked with young people in the Diocese of Tasmania as diocesan field officer for the Anglican Boys’ Society, and then as the diocesan youth and education officer. During that time he was also the deputy warden at Christ College in the University of Tasmania. In 1985 Phillip moved to the Diocese of Melbourne where he worked as the director of parish education at St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Mt Waverley.

He was ordained deacon in Tasmania on 25 July 1988 and priest a year later. He served as assistant curate at St Mark-on-the-Hill in Launceston and then as assistant priest in Brighton, Hobart. In 1991 he was appointed priest to the Bridgewater-Gagebrook Special Area of Ministry, a large public housing estate on the northern outskirts of Hobart. During these four years he trained people at the local Skillshare in basic computer courses and also taught Christian Education Theory and Practice at the Hobart College of Technical and Further Education. .

In 1994 he was appointed Director of Anglicare Tasmania. In the last two years of that appointment he also assumed the role of Archdeacon for Church and Society and was responsible for the oversight of all chaplains and Anglican caring organizations.

He was consecrated bishop in Adelaide on 29 June 1998 where he served as Assistant Bishop until December 2001.

Dr Aspinall has contributed to the life of the National Church since his early involvement in youth work and Christian education, through community service work and as a member of the standing committee of General Synod since 1995.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University and a PhD from Monash University, as well as qualifications in science and theology.

Archbishop Phillip is married to Christa, a medical practitioner. They have two children.
The Role of Primate

Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall is also Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.

Archbishop Aspinall was elected to the role in 2005 after the retirement of then Primate, the Archbishop of Perth, Dr Peter Carnley.

The Primate has a leadership role for Australia’s four million Anglicans working closely with the Archbishops from each of the country’s major metropolitan centers.

While responsibility for each of Australia’s 23 dioceses rests with the bishops and Archbishops appointed to those roles the Primate’s main function is to offer support and guidance where appropriate.

To contact the Archbishop, email his secretary at ajoseph@anglicanbrisbane.org.au.

For any media inquiries contact John Austin on jaustin@anglicanbrisbane.org.au or phone 0401 759 073.