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Doubts over whether Sydney's bishops would make the trip to Lambeth in July had already surfaced after Sydney's Archbishop Peter Jensen met last month with Nigeria's conservative leader, Archbishop Peter Akinola, about staging an alternative Anglican conference in Jerusalem in July.

Confirmation that none of Sydney's bishops would attend Lambeth came early this month in a public statement after an ordination service at St Andrew's cathedral.

In a brief statement after the 2 February service, Archbishop Peter Jensen confirmed that "with regret, the archbishop and bishops of the Diocese of Sydney have decided not to attend the Lambeth Conference in July."

He said Sydney's bishops "remain fully committed to the Anglican Communion, to which they continue to belong, but sense that attending the Conference at this time will not help heal its divisions."

"They continue to pray for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lambeth Conference."

The Sydney decision comes as a direct rejection of the Archbishop of Canterbury's latest appeal for the world's Anglican bishops to work through their differences by meeting together at Lambeth. (See article below)

A press conference in London to unveil details of the Lambeth conference planning, heard that 70% of the world's 800 Anglican bishops have already accepted the invitation to attend the 3 week long gathering.

National Anglican church leader, Brisbane's Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, said he is disappointed that Sydney's bishops won't be at Lambeth, arguing he found it difficult to understand the view that the Lambeth Conference was not a proper place to deal with issues facing the international Anglican Communion.

"I think the only way we can really address issues of deep difference in the life of the Church is to come together, pray together, study the scriptures and speak openly with each other," Archbishop Aspinall said. "That some bishops seem willing to forego this important opportunity is disappointing".

"An enormous amount of work has been done to prepare for Lambeth. The Windsor Report and a draft Covenant for the Anglican Communion will provide a solid base for discussion and the majority of bishops from around the world will join together to take that work forward.

"To opt out of that opportunity I find difficult to understand," he said.

"Though it seems that some bishops will not attend, I think that the Lambeth Conference will produce important and constructive outcomes."

In an opinion-article written for The Sydney Morning Herald, Archbishop Jensen argues he came to agree with the decision by African church leaders to boycott the conference.

"Several African provinces have indicated that they will not be attending, because to do so would be to acquiesce with the North American actions," Archbishop Jensen said.

"They see that since the American actions were taken in direct defiance of the previous Lambeth Conference, the Americans have irreparably damaged the standing of the conference itself.

"They asked without success for it to be postponed. As in family life, it is sometimes better to delay a meeting to allow time for greater clarity. They do not think that this conference is what is needed now. To attend would be to overlook the importance of the issues at stake.

"After much thought, I agreed with this approach."