Fed: Henderson says Hollingworth appointment inappropriate

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2001
Fed: Henderson says Hollingworth appointment inappropriate

CANBERRA, April 26 AAP - Archbishop Peter Hollingworth should never have been offered
the governor-general's job and he should not have accepted it, Sydney Institute director
Gerard Henderson said today.

On Sunday, Prime Minister John Howard announced the Brisbane Anglican Archbishop would
takeover as governor-general when Sir William Deane retired at the end of June this year.

While widely welcomed, Archbishop Hollingworth's appointment has raised questions about
the separation of church and state.

"I think overwhelmingly it has been well accepted, it has certainly been accepted by
the Labor opposition and by most commentators, but I think it does raise serious issues,"

Mr Henderson told ABC Radio.

"I don't think the offer should have been made and the offer having been made, I don't
think it should have been accepted."

Archbishop Hollingworth was an excellent choice to be the Queen's representative in
Australia, Mr Henderson said, except for one issue.

"And the exception is a very serious one, he happens to be the Anglican Archbishop
of Brisbane and I think that should bar him from the position," he said.

"It just seems to me that a person who, like Archbishop Hollingworth, has taken an
oath of allegiance in a sense to the Queen of England in a capacity as head of the Church
of England, should not be offered and shouldn't accept the job as governor-general of
Australia."

While the appointment would not cause the constitution to fall apart and Australia
would survive it, Mr Henderson said it sent the wrong message.

"I just think it is an inappropriate appointment because he is the Anglican Archbishop,
but I don't think the Catholic bishop or archbishop should have been appointed either,"

he said.

"I just think it sends off a bad and inappropriate message about modern Australia."

Mr Howard had appointed Archbishop Hollingworth because he was close to him and agreed
with a lot of his positions.

"I think he thinks it is a good appointment, and if he weren't the Anglican Archbishop
of Brisbane it would be, but he is and there's the problem."

AAP eg/jas/bwl

KEYWORD: GG HENDERSON

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