Archbishop Dr Philip Freier

Academic qualifications

PhD in Philosophy, James Cook University; MEdST, University of Newcastle and Bachelor's degrees in Divinity and Applied Science.

Summary of previous experience

The Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier is the 13th Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, having begun his career as a teacher in northern Australia.

In 1999, he became Bishop of the Northern Territory, and from 2014 to 2020, Archbishop Freier served as the 16th Anglican Primate of Australia.

Before ordination, he trained as a teacher and taught on Thursday Island, Kowanyama, and Yarrabah. He was also an advisory teacher in Aboriginal education with the Queensland Education Department.

He was chair of the Brotherhood of St Laurence and has extensive experience on boards, including higher education providers.

Archbishop Freier’s ministry has covered all socio‐economic and cultural groups with a strong interest in and concern for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

He chaired the Board of Delegates of the Australian College of Theology and was Chair of the Doctrine Commission of the General Synod.

His previous positions include Examining Chaplain to the Archbishop of Brisbane, Area Dean of the Burnett in the Diocese of Brisbane, Rector at Christ Church Bundaberg in the Diocese of Brisbane, and Rector St Oswald’s Banyo in the Diocese of Brisbane.

Archbishop Freier maintains a keen interest in Australian Anglican history. From 2000 to 2003, he was an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Law, Business and Arts at the Northern Territory University.

He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.