Australia's titular head of state has temporarily given up office while rape allegations he vehemently denies are resolved, Prime Minister Mr John Howard said today.
Governor-General Dr Peter Hollingworth, a former Anglican archbishop, stunned Australia three days ago when he issued a public denial that he raped a girl at a church camp 40 years ago, making the case public for the first time.
The rape case bombshell came as Dr Hollingworth was already facing pressure to resign after a church inquiry found he allowed a paedophile to remain a priest in the 1990s when he was an archbishop.
"It has been agreed between the governor-general and myself that Dr Hollingworth will stand aside from his position as governor-general pending the determination of the court proceedings initiated in the Supreme Court of Victoria by the late Ms Annie Jarmyn," Mr Howard told reporters.
The unprecedented decision was taken after Mr Howard talked to Dr Hollingworth (68) today following his return from a week-long tour of the United States, Britain and the Gulf.
An administrator, Tasmania governor Mr Guy Green, will take over Dr Hollingworth's duty in the interim. As the longest-serving of Australia's state governors, Mr Green has deputised before for the governor-general when he travels.
The final days of Mr Howard's trip were overshadowed by the biggest controversy to hit the governor-general's office since 1975 when then incumbent Sir John Kerr dismissed the Labor government of Prime Minister Mr Gough Whitlam. While the role of governor-general is largely ceremonial, he does retain the power to sack a government.