Peter Hollingworth's response makes him unsuitable for Governor General

There is no question Governor General Peter Hollingworth should resign. If he refuses, as he has so far, Prime Minister John Howard must dismiss him.

The Governor General has clearly lost the support of the Australian public. Australians, largely, are primarily and justifiably aghast at Dr Hollingworth's defence that failing to act appropriately on cases of child sexual abuse reported to him while Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane was just an error of judgement.

Such a defence continues to send the message that child sexual assault is not that important. Victims of sexual assault are effectively being told to "get over it" and get on with their lives.

The reality is that thousands of survivors of abuse are not able to get on with their lives because the crimes committed against them have never been properly acknowledged or addressed.

There is a need for a strong statement to be sent to all Australians that covering up for the perpetrators of child sexual assault is totally unacceptable, that dismissing the complaints of victims is equally unacceptable. Dr Hollingworth's actions and his response to the Anglican Inquiry sends the opposite message - and that is unacceptable.

The Prime Minister and the Governor General are effectively saying that the Anglican Church Inquiry's findings do not involve matters of sufficient concern to compromise the integrity of the highest office in our land.

I disagree. Child sexual assault is one of the most serious of issues, particularly when the perpetrating and covering-up of such crimes is endemic and institutionalised, as it clearly has been in many cases.

The office of Governor General is one of the most significant in Australia. Dr Hollingworth serves in a position that should be unifying for our nation. It is a position that should portray compassion, empathy and the best of Australian character.

It is a unique and special position, which is why unique requirements attach to it. Losing faith in the office of Governor General is very serious - it can compromise our system of government and diminish us as a nation.

Dr Hollingworth is the focus of this crisis, but the issue is far larger than the behaviour of one man.

Yet it falls to Dr Hollingworth and Mr Howard - men who have so far failed to adequately take a stand against child sexual abuse - to grab this chance to make significant change and set in concrete the boundaries of appropriate behaviour when it comes to protecting children.

What is required is a clean sweep. Mr Howard must ensure Dr Hollingworth departs as Governor General, and then establish a Judicial Inquiry or Royal Commission into the issue of sexual abuse of children in care.

Such an inquiry will inescapably expose ugly secrets of child suffering in Australian institutions. It will ensure better protection for children in the present and the future. It may, perhaps, allow for justice and the horrendous scars of victims of child sexual abuse to begin to heal.

The Democrats will not desist in pressuring for such an inquiry, nor retreat from calls for Dr Hollingworth to resign.

The excuse that Dr Hollingworth was just part of a system or of a time in which churches across the board didn't handle allegations of sexual abuse against priests very well - as has been suggested by some - is not acceptable. We are talking about actions and statements that occurred quite recently. In any case, never has there been a time when turning a blind eye to reports of sexual abuse of a child was OK.

This is no "witch-hunt". Nor is it "mob hysteria". People are right to speak of the need to protect the rights of the accused as well as those who make allegations.

But, as with any other public office, this is a public debate about a person's suitability to hold that office. Dr Hollingworth failed in his duty of care to children and the rights of the victims have been ignored.

It is time we as a nation gave first priority to protecting the rights of children.