Australian general replaces Hollingworth

By Phil Mercer BBC correspondent in Sydney

Australia has a new governor-general, a month after the resignation of Peter Hollingworth.

General Jeffrey is seen as a safe choice

The British Queen will now be represented in Australia by Major-General Michael Jeffery - a former SAS commander and a decorated Vietnam war veteran.

The 66-year-old will be sworn in to his new position in August.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has played it safe by choosing General Jeffery.

He is a former state governor of Western Australia who received the Military Cross for bravery in Vietnam.

Background check

General Jeffery's job will be to repair the damage inflicted on the office of governor-general by the controversies surrounding Mr Hollingworth.

He was forced to quit after a church report accused him of covering up abuse of children by a priest when he was Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane.

The prime minister was criticised for failing to investigate Mr Hollingworth's background when his past came back to haunt him so spectacularly.

Mr Howard clearly wants to avoid a repeat and has said the appropriate checks had been carried out on the new man.

General Jeffery was the commander of Australia's special forces in the early 1980s and becomes the first Australian-born career military officer to become governor-general.