Australian governor under fire

Mr Hollingworth is Queen Elizabeth's representative in Australia

The Australian Government is backing Governor-General Peter Hollingworth, despite mounting calls for him to resign after an inquiry criticised his handling of sexual abuse cases in the Church.

Acting Prime Minister John Anderson said people should "stand back and take into account the fact that he has been forthcoming in acknowledging a failure."

A report published on Thursday said Mr Hollingworth, the former Archbishop of Brisbane, had allowed a priest to continue his ministry despite knowing the man was a child abuser.

We ought to all remember than none of us is without blemish

Acting Prime Minister John Anderson

Prime Minister John Howard, who left for a visit to the US on Thursday, said he would not ask for Mr Hollingworth's dismissal over the incident.

The report's conclusions have reignited calls for Mr Hollingworth to give up his job as governor-general - a post which makes him Queen Elizabeth's representative in Australia.

On Friday, opposition Labor and Democratic leaders demanded Mr Hollingworth's dismissal, and chat show phone-ins were inundated with callers urging him to go.

Several charities which list Mr Hollingworth as a patron said they would re-examine their links with the governor-general.

Even Mr Hollingworth's successor as Archbishop of Brisbane, Philip Aspinall, said he had made a "grave and serious" error of judgement.

But the Australian leader has continued to stand by Mr Hollingworth.

"I suggest people do not rush to judgement ... I do not regret the appointment," Mr Howard said before leaving for his visit to the US.

He said Mr Hollingworth had already acknowledged his error, and had not been accused of "deliberate misconduct" that would warrant his dismissal.

'Serious error'

The inquiry, commissioned by the Anglican Church, concluded that Mr Hollingworth had been given clear evidence that Reverend John Elliot had committed sexual offences against young boys.

The report rejected Mr Hollingworth's defence that he believed the abuse was an isolated incident.

"The board considers that no bishop acting reasonably could have reached the decision to continue a known paedophile in the ministry," the report said.

Mr Hollingworth said he accepted the board's decision, and acknowledged he had made a "serious error of judgement" in not dismissing Elliot, who is now in jail for sexual offences.

The report was commissioned last year, after Mr Hollingworth was criticised for his failure to act on abuse complaints about two church-run schools.

The inquiry also examined eight other complaints of sexual abuse, most of which it said were dealt with fairly.

But Mr Hollingworth was also criticised for not showing enough compassion towards a woman who said she had a sexual relationship with a priest when she was only 15.