Church finds Hollingworth misconduct in 7 of 10 complaints

An 88-year-old former governor-general has been found to have committed misconduct in relation to seven of ten complaints examined by an Anglican church inquiry, yet the review concluded he remains fit to continue in limited ministry roles.

Peter Hollingworth's handling of child sex abuse allegations during his decade-long tenure as archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s was scrutinised over more than five years of investigation. The Professional Standards Board for the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne delivered its findings this week, after a private four-day hearing held earlier in the year.

While the board substantiated misconduct in seven cases, it determined there was no unacceptable risk to others if his future church activities were restricted to clearly defined duties.

Dr Hollingworth has accepted the findings and acknowledged failures in responding appropriately to the complaints during his time as Brisbane archbishop. "I made mistakes and I cannot undo them," he said in a statement. "Hardly a day has passed in the past 30 years when I have not reflected on these matters and my failings."

He attributed his inadequate response to inexperience with child abuse issues and to being unduly influenced by legal and insurance company advice—a pattern he said affected other church leaders of that era.

Dr Hollingworth held his archbishop position for more than a decade before his appointment as Australia's 23rd governor-general in 2001. He resigned from the latter role in 2003 following public revelations about his handling of multiple abuse complaints. He faced particular criticism over his response to misconduct allegations against a teacher at Toowoomba Preparatory School, with critics at the time calling for him to be removed from the priesthood.

The inquiry's findings carry mandatory conditions. Dr Hollingworth must formally apologise to victims whose cases he mishandled. Melbourne Anglican Archbishop Philip Freier has committed to formally reprimand him for retaining two clergy members he knew were offenders and for sending "harsh and insensitive communications with and letters about the victims of those abusers."

Archbishop Freier said he had written to the Commission for Children and Young People and would continue collaborating with the body to ensure Dr Hollingworth complies with his legal obligations. The diocese, he noted, had no influence over the complaints process itself.

The investigation was conducted by Kooyoora, an independent body responsible for issuing ministry clearance certificates for the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. The extended inquiry underscores the church's reckoning with historical child abuse cases and the decisions church leaders made in their handling.

Separately, Dr Hollingworth faced allegations of rape from the 1960s, which he denied. He previously apologised during a 2016 royal commission inquiry into child sexual abuse for failing to take action against pedophile priest John Elliot, which the commission found to be a serious error of judgment.