The Australian yesterday ­revealed a dedicated NSW Police strike force, codenamed Arinya-2, is also investigating ­allegations of child sex abuse within the Anglican Church in Newcastle, NSW.

The current bishop, Greg Thompson yesterday said his diocese would "co-operate fully and completely with the commission's investigations and we have over recent months provided all ­material relating to allegations of child sexual abuse, including the church's response".

"It is clear to me that in the past we did not always handle allegations of abuse in the best way," said Bishop Thompson, who took up his position in February.

"I have been concerned to learn of serious sexual abuse perpetrated by people within the church against children and vulnerable people, and my first concern is for the victims and survivors to see that they receive the support that they need."

The diocese also confirmed it has previously paid compensation to the victims of a former New­castle bishop over sex abuse committed in a state other than NSW.

A spokeswoman for the ­diocese declined to identify the bishop, other than to confirm that he had died.

Detectives involved in Strike Force Arinya-2 plan to interview several people in states outside NSW as part of their ongoing ­investigation, which has been under way for a number of months.

There have been a series of police and other inquiries into the child abuse within the region's major Christian churches in ­recent years. A number of Anglican priests were defrocked in 2012 after an internal inquiry found they had sex or were ­involved in group sex with a boy as young as 14. Late last year, the royal commission heard evidence from the diocese's former professional standards director who said "there were a number of people ... who had some history of misconduct or abuse that were collecting around Newcastle cathedral".

A spokeswoman for the commission declined to comment on its investigation yesterday.

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