The Anglican Church of Australia has elected Bishop Mark Short as its new Primate, following a meeting of the Board of Electors earlier today at St Andrew’s House, Sydney.
Bishop Short, currently Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, will succeed Archbishop Geoffrey Smith, who earlier this year announced he would step down October 31, concluding a six-year term marked by pastoral steadiness and advocacy for unity amid internal tensions.
With a conservative majority dominating the Board of Electors, Short emerged as a compromise candidate between the deeply conservative nominees from Sydney and Tasmania and more progressive contenders from elsewhere in the Church.
A former economist and journalist, Short trained at Moore Theological College and earned a doctorate from Durham University in the UK. His ministry has spanned parish, regional, and national roles, including a term as National Director of the Bush Church Aid Society. He was elected Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn in 2018 and installed the following year.
As bishop, Short has emphasized mission and inclusion. During the 2019–20 bushfires, he offered spiritual and practical support to affected communities. He has supported initiatives such as Hope25, multicultural ministry, and partnerships with First Nations communities.
However, like much of the Church, the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn has continued to face challenges including parish decline and clergy shortages, particularly in rural areas. In 2024 the Addressing Disparity report raised tough questions about diocesan culture, theological polarization, and power dynamics that hinder women’s participation. In response, Short committed to establishing a commission on women in leadership to recommend structural and cultural reforms.
The Primate is elected by the 36-member Board of Electors, which includes all diocesan bishops, 12 clergy, and 12 lay members of General Synod. Under the Primate Canon 1985, the candidate must be a current diocesan bishop under age 70 and secure majority support in all three houses.
While the role carries no jurisdiction over individual dioceses, the Primate serves as President of General Synod and its Standing Committee, offering national leadership and representing the Church in international Anglican forums, including the Primates’ Meeting convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The term is six years, renewable once.
The next General Synod is scheduled for August 2026, by which time Bishop Short will have held office for nearly a year.
