about effing time
May. 11th, 2003 11:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mattblakkhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3017697.stm
Australian Governor-General Peter Hollingworth is to step aside from his post temporarily while a rape allegation dating back to the 1960s is dealt with by the courts.
Prime Minister John Howard made the announcement to reporters in Canberra.
Mr Hollingworth, 68, is firmly denying the rape allegation, which he made public on Thursday.
He has been under pressure for more than a year to resign because of separate allegations that he protected paedophiles in the Church while he was the Anglican archbishop of Brisbane.
The governor-general, appointed by the prime minister, is Queen Elizabeth's representative in Australia, and has various legal and ceremonial duties.
Mr Hollingworth said he regretted that he was unable to honour his engagements and was looking forward to the resolution of the court case.
"In taking this decision, I have always been mindful of maintaining the integrity and dignity of the office," he said in a statement.
Critical report
Mr Hollingworth was a controversial figure even before the rape accusations surfaced.
On 1 May, a Church report criticised him for failing to act in at least two cases of sexual abuse when he was the Archbishop of Brisbane - in particular, for allowing a known paedophile to continue working as a priest.
HOLLINGWORTH TIMELINE
1990-2001 - Archbishop of Brisbane
June 2001 - Appointed Governor-General
December 2001 - Allegations he mishandled sex abuse cases in 1990s
1 May 2003 - Report criticises him for conduct as Archbishop
8 May - Rape allegations become public
The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Sydney says Prime Minister Howard was facing a potentially damaging situation, with the governor general - who is supposed to be above politics - mired in scandal.
His standing aside is one way to get him off the front pages of the newspapers - at least temporarily, our correspondent adds.
The alleged rape victim, Rosemarie Annie Jarmyn, committed suicide last month.
She alleged that Mr Hollingworth had raped her at a church holiday camp in the mid-1960s.
The governor general insists it is a case of mistaken identity.
He says he never met Ms Jarmyn - who began her claim for compensation earlier this year.
Ms Jarmyn's lawyers have said they intend to pursue a civil action at the Supreme Court in Melbourne.
The prime minister said Mr Hollingworth would make no decision on his long-term future until the case was resolved.
Tasmania governor Guy Green will take over his duties for the time being.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3017697.stm
Published: 2003/05/11 12:36:08
© BBC MMIII
Australian Governor-General Peter Hollingworth is to step aside from his post temporarily while a rape allegation dating back to the 1960s is dealt with by the courts.
Prime Minister John Howard made the announcement to reporters in Canberra.
Mr Hollingworth, 68, is firmly denying the rape allegation, which he made public on Thursday.
He has been under pressure for more than a year to resign because of separate allegations that he protected paedophiles in the Church while he was the Anglican archbishop of Brisbane.
The governor-general, appointed by the prime minister, is Queen Elizabeth's representative in Australia, and has various legal and ceremonial duties.
Mr Hollingworth said he regretted that he was unable to honour his engagements and was looking forward to the resolution of the court case.
"In taking this decision, I have always been mindful of maintaining the integrity and dignity of the office," he said in a statement.
Critical report
Mr Hollingworth was a controversial figure even before the rape accusations surfaced.
On 1 May, a Church report criticised him for failing to act in at least two cases of sexual abuse when he was the Archbishop of Brisbane - in particular, for allowing a known paedophile to continue working as a priest.
HOLLINGWORTH TIMELINE
1990-2001 - Archbishop of Brisbane
June 2001 - Appointed Governor-General
December 2001 - Allegations he mishandled sex abuse cases in 1990s
1 May 2003 - Report criticises him for conduct as Archbishop
8 May - Rape allegations become public
The BBC's Dominic Hughes in Sydney says Prime Minister Howard was facing a potentially damaging situation, with the governor general - who is supposed to be above politics - mired in scandal.
His standing aside is one way to get him off the front pages of the newspapers - at least temporarily, our correspondent adds.
The alleged rape victim, Rosemarie Annie Jarmyn, committed suicide last month.
She alleged that Mr Hollingworth had raped her at a church holiday camp in the mid-1960s.
The governor general insists it is a case of mistaken identity.
He says he never met Ms Jarmyn - who began her claim for compensation earlier this year.
Ms Jarmyn's lawyers have said they intend to pursue a civil action at the Supreme Court in Melbourne.
The prime minister said Mr Hollingworth would make no decision on his long-term future until the case was resolved.
Tasmania governor Guy Green will take over his duties for the time being.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3017697.stm
Published: 2003/05/11 12:36:08
© BBC MMIII
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no subject
Date: 2003-05-12 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-05-12 03:08 am (UTC)wow, that's weird, even though I was listening to NewsRadio earlier today, your post is the first time I heard about him standing down...
it's always "temporary ...
Date: 2003-05-13 11:46 pm (UTC)but, honestly ... this is the land where someone as corrupt as sir joh flourished ... seeing stuff like this seems almost like child's play.
Re: it's always "temporary ...
Date: 2003-05-14 12:01 am (UTC)but, honestly ... this is the land where someone as corrupt as sir joh flourished ... seeing stuff like this seems almost like child's play.
::shrug:: Well, yeah, since I've been hearing about this stuff since childhood (e.g. Alan Bond, NSW police force, Skase, a couple of my state's premiers, Cheryl Kernot & Gareth Evans... etc. etc. etc.) I must admit I've kindof got blase about it myself, & being born under the sign of Scorpio & Machiavellian by nature only compounds that. If anything, corruption, bribery, & unfair power plays have become a bit of a sexual turn-on... Guess I'm more Aussie than I thought. ;)
Re: it's always "temporary ...
Date: 2003-05-14 12:05 am (UTC)i used to work at bond uni in se queensland :).
Re: it's always
Date: 2003-05-14 12:19 am (UTC)I live in Perth & can remember when the 2nd-tallest building here used to be the Bond Tower.
Re: it's always
Date: 2003-05-14 01:51 am (UTC)