Australian Governor General to Resign - 2003-05-25
Peter Hollingworth under pressure to quit following report he ignored child abuse allegations while serving as Archbishop of Brisbane
www.voanews.comHere’s the latest available on Peter Hollingworth:
-
Summary: Peter Hollingworth, former Governor-General of Australia and former Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, has died at age 91 in Melbourne. He passed away after a period of illness, with confirmations from multiple outlets and church authorities. This marks the end of a controversial tenure shaped by the handling of child-abuse allegations within the church during his leadership in the 1990s and early 2000s. His death follows long-standing public debates about accountability and safeguarding within the church.[1][2]
-
Key context and reactions:
- In 2016, Hollingworth testified before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, expressing remorse for harms caused, while acknowledging failings in response to abuse cases during his tenure as Archbishop of Brisbane. The commission found a serious error of judgment in a specific case but did not determine criminal wrongdoing. These findings continued to be cited in discussions about the balance between accountability and ministry in his later years.[2][3]
- The Anglican Church and related bodies have publicly reflected on past failings, offering condolences to survivors and reaffirming commitments to safeguarding, with church leaders acknowledging deep regret over historical failures.[2]
-
Notable historical notes:
- Hollingworth served as Australia’s 23rd Governor-General from 2001 to 2003, resigning amid controversy over his handling of abuse allegations. He later faced ongoing scrutiny over his role in safeguarding abuses within the church, including proceedings about whether he should be defrocked.[3][1]
- Earlier reporting continues to reference his resignation and the broader public debate about institutional responses to child abuse in religious institutions during the 1990s and early 2000s.[8][3]
If you’d like, I can pull direct excerpts from specific articles, or summarize the official statements from the Anglican Church and from Australian authorities in the wake of his death. I can also provide a brief timeline of the key events in his public career for clarity. Would you like that?[1][3][2]