In one example, the paedophile John Elliott remained a priest at St Barnabas Anglican Church in Sunnybank until retirement – despite both Elliott and one young victim revealing systematic and persistent abuse to Hollingworth personally.
Referring to the Elliott case in 2016, Hollingworth said: “After a great deal of consideration over the last 22 years, I acknowledge unconditionally that my actions were misguided, wrong and a serious error of judgment”.
Hollingworth was appointed governor-general in 2001 and resigned in disgrace two years later, when the allegations surfaced. If he feels remorse, his $357,732 annual pension must ease the pain.
So too his many perks. According to ABC journalists Richard Willingham and Ben Knight, Hollingworth spent almost $1.5 million on office and travel expenses between 2010 and 2016.
Australia has the highest rate of pensioner poverty in the OECD. On average, men in Australia retire with a total $322,000 in superannuation and women a miserly $180,000 – crumbs after a lifetime of honest work.
Meanwhile, a morally corrupt bastard like Hollingworth will drown in riches until death for cutting a few ribbons as governor-general.
