Peter Hollingworth a ‘sad example’ of a man who received honours while protecting priests, says clerical abuse victim
The child sexual abuse victim at the centre of former governor general Peter Hollingworth’s resignation for failing to act on complaints said he should be remembered as a “sad example” of a man who was bestowed honours while protecting abusers.
Following Hollingworth’s death on Tuesday, advocates against child abuse have called for stronger national protections for children, saying there is still a long way to go.
Hollingworth’s legacy is controversial, with many conservative pundits, including former prime minister John Howard and the current opposition leader, Angus Taylor, celebrating his commitment to eradicating child poverty and his strong Anglican faith.
But survivor Beth Heinrich – who waged a high-profile, decades-long campaign for justice over her treatment, both by her abuser, the Anglican priest Donald Shearman, and the handling of her case by Hollingworth, then the Brisbane archbishop – said he does not deserve the honours.
In March, Heinrich finally received an apology from the pulpit, with Queensland Archbishop Jeremy Greaves acknowledging “the failures made by former Archbishop Peter Hollingworth in the handling of her abuser, deposed bishop Donald Shearman, who is now deceased” in a public service.
Hollingworth was previously found to have failed to act to remove Shearman from the church, despite becoming aware of his abuse. While he was governor general, Hollingworth appeared on ABC television in 2002 and suggested that Heinrich, 14, had instigated a sexual relationship with Shearman, a married priest.
“Despite having 25 years of experience at Brotherhood of St Laurence, he was a fully trained counsellor,” Heinrich said on Wednesday. “He was a priest, he was a father of girls, but he chose to go on national television and vilify me and victim-blame a child.
“I’ve had the satisfaction of him being disgraced in his former cathedral.”
Child protection expert and University of South Australia adjunct professor Chris Goddard said Hollingworth’s comments on the ABC were “just the most extraordinary public accusation and humiliation”.
“He actually said he didn’t think it was child abuse, it was the other way around,” Goddard said. “He further victimised the victim and rewarded the perpetrators. He abused Beth on national television.”
In 2023, the Anglican church’s professional standards board also found Hollingworth committed misconduct by allowing two priests he knew had sexually abused children to remain in the church.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026...ims-ntwnfb
The child sexual abuse victim at the centre of former governor general Peter Hollingworth’s resignation for failing to act on complaints said he should be remembered as a “sad example” of a man who was bestowed honours while protecting abusers.
Following Hollingworth’s death on Tuesday, advocates against child abuse have called for stronger national protections for children, saying there is still a long way to go.
Hollingworth’s legacy is controversial, with many conservative pundits, including former prime minister John Howard and the current opposition leader, Angus Taylor, celebrating his commitment to eradicating child poverty and his strong Anglican faith.
But survivor Beth Heinrich – who waged a high-profile, decades-long campaign for justice over her treatment, both by her abuser, the Anglican priest Donald Shearman, and the handling of her case by Hollingworth, then the Brisbane archbishop – said he does not deserve the honours.
In March, Heinrich finally received an apology from the pulpit, with Queensland Archbishop Jeremy Greaves acknowledging “the failures made by former Archbishop Peter Hollingworth in the handling of her abuser, deposed bishop Donald Shearman, who is now deceased” in a public service.
Hollingworth was previously found to have failed to act to remove Shearman from the church, despite becoming aware of his abuse. While he was governor general, Hollingworth appeared on ABC television in 2002 and suggested that Heinrich, 14, had instigated a sexual relationship with Shearman, a married priest.
“Despite having 25 years of experience at Brotherhood of St Laurence, he was a fully trained counsellor,” Heinrich said on Wednesday. “He was a priest, he was a father of girls, but he chose to go on national television and vilify me and victim-blame a child.
“I’ve had the satisfaction of him being disgraced in his former cathedral.”
Child protection expert and University of South Australia adjunct professor Chris Goddard said Hollingworth’s comments on the ABC were “just the most extraordinary public accusation and humiliation”.
“He actually said he didn’t think it was child abuse, it was the other way around,” Goddard said. “He further victimised the victim and rewarded the perpetrators. He abused Beth on national television.”
In 2023, the Anglican church’s professional standards board also found Hollingworth committed misconduct by allowing two priests he knew had sexually abused children to remain in the church.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026...ims-ntwnfb
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"
