Hollingworth's death: a legacy of betrayal, not honor
Peter Hollingworth, the formerGovernor General of Australia embroiled in a decades-long scandal of failing to protect child sexual abuse victims, died this week. But his passing isn't prompting widespread mourning; instead, it’s reigniting a painful debate about institutional accountability and the enduring trauma inflicted on survivors. For Beth Heinrich, a woman whose life was irrevocably scarred by abuse and the subsequent cover-up, Hollingworth’s death offers little solace – only a stark reminder of a system that prioritized reputation over the safety of children.
A priest's betrayal, an archbishop's complicity
Heinrich, who endured years of abuse at the hands of Anglican priest Donald Shearman, has relentlessly campaigned for justice, battling not only her abuser but also the church’s handling of the case under Hollingworth’s leadership as Archbishop of Brisbane. She has consistently maintained that Hollingworth’s legacy is not one of service, but of profound failure. “The man himself,” she stated bluntly, “is a sad example of a priest who was given awards and honors he did not deserve and he never learned.”
The details are chilling. Despite awareness of Shearman’s predatory behavior, Hollingworth failed to remove him from his position, allowing the abuse to continue. Even more disturbingly, while serving as Governor General, Hollingworth publicly questioned Heinrich’s account, suggesting she had initiated the relationship with the married priest – a blatant act of victim-blaming that compounded her trauma.
Chris Goddard, a child protection expert who assisted Heinrich in preparing her testimony to the Royal Commission, described Hollingworth’s ABC television appearance as “just the most extraordinary public accusation and humiliation.” He added, with a palpable sense of outrage, “He actually said he didn’t think it was child abuse, it was the other way around. He further victimized the victim and rewarded the perpetrators.”
A system still broken, a decade after the royal commission
Hollingworth’s death has spurred renewed calls for a national, transparent system to protect children, a demand that feels particularly urgent given the fragmented and often confusing landscape that persists even a decade after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. “We not only need a national approach, we not only need a transparent national system, but we also need the states to have consistent legislation,” Goddard emphasized, drawing a stark analogy to emergency services. “Imagine that an ambulance service had a different name in every state.”
Cathy Kezelman, president of the Blue Knot Foundation, echoed this sentiment, noting that survivors continue to struggle with inconsistent state legislation and a fragmented service system. “We’re still struggling to get consistency… the response for survivors… is still hard to navigate, that’s inaccessible to a lot of people, both geographically and financially.”
While Hollingworth ultimately apologized for his “mistakes,” acknowledging he “cannot undo them,” his legacy remains a cautionary tale – a stark illustration of how institutions can fail those they are meant to protect. The silence and inaction of powerful figures like Hollingworth allowed abuse to flourish, leaving a trail of devastation that continues to impact survivors like Beth Heinrich. The true measure of his life isn’t the honors he received, but the profound harm he enabled.