Peter Hollingworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Right Reverend and Honourable
Peter Hollingworth
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| 23rd Governor-General of Australia | |
| In office 29 June 2001 – 29 May 2003 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Sir William Deane |
| Succeeded by | Michael Jeffery |
| Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane | |
| In office 1989–2001 |
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| Preceded by | John Grindrod |
| Succeeded by | Phillip Aspinall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter John Hollingworth
10 April 1935 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Died | 19 May 2026 (aged 91) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Spouse |
Ann Turner
(m. 1960; died 2021) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Profession | Bishop |
Peter John Hollingworth (born 10 April 1935, died 19 May 2026) was an important Australian leader. He was a bishop and served as the 23rd Governor-General of Australia from 2001 to 2003.
He was named Australian of the Year in 1991 for his work helping others. He also wrote books and received many awards for his service. In May 2003, Mr. Hollingworth resigned from his role as Governor-General. This happened after concerns were raised about how he handled certain matters when he was the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Australia
Peter Hollingworth was born on 10 April 1935 in Adelaide, South Australia. His parents were Rosalind Geue and John Hollingworth. His father was an engineer who grew up in India. His mother came from a well-known family in South Australia.
In 1941, Peter and his family moved to Melbourne. His father had a new job with a government department that made aircraft. The family settled in East Malvern. Peter went to Lloyd Street State School and Murrumbeena State School. He later attended Scotch College, Melbourne.
Starting His Career
At 16, Peter left school and started a trainee job at a mining company called BHP. He worked in the department that kept records of company shares. At the same time, he studied accounting at night school.
Becoming a Leader and Helping Others
University and Family Life
In 1953, Peter Hollingworth joined the national service program. After his basic training, he worked in the chaplain's office. This experience made him feel a calling to become a priest.
After finishing his high school studies in 1954, he enrolled at the University of Melbourne. He lived at Trinity College while studying theology. In 1960, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a theology qualification.
On 6 February 1960, Peter married Kathleen Ann Turner. Ann was a physiotherapist who helped mothers. They had three daughters together. Ann passed away in 2021.
Work with the Church and Community
Peter Hollingworth became an Anglican priest in 1960. He first worked in inner Melbourne with the Anglican Church's mission. In 1964, he joined the Brotherhood of St Laurence. This was a charity run by the Anglican Church. He started as a chaplain and director for youth and children's work. Later, he became the director of social policy and research, looking for ways to help people.
He earned a master's degree in social work. In 1980, he became the leader of the Brotherhood of St Laurence. He worked there for 25 years and helped many other community groups.
Advocacy for the Poor
Peter Hollingworth wrote several books about helping people in need. These books were used for teaching. He often spoke publicly about welfare policy. He believed that poverty was a problem caused by how society was set up, not just by individual choices.
In 1980, he became a senior priest (canon) at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne. In 1985, he became the Bishop for the Inner City. In 1989, he was chosen as the 8th Archbishop of Brisbane. He kept working to help the poor and supported women becoming priests.
He was also the leader of a national committee for the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. In 1991, he was named Australian of the Year. He was described as "Australia's foremost spokesman for social justice." He used his public role to speak out about government policies affecting Aboriginal people and young people without jobs. In 1998, he attended a special meeting about Australia's Constitution.
Serving as Governor-General
Appointment to a High Office
On 22 April 2001, Prime Minister John Howard announced that Queen Elizabeth II had chosen Mr. Hollingworth to be the next Governor-General. He would take over from Sir William Deane. He was the first religious leader to hold this important national role. However, other religious leaders had served as state governors before.
On 29 June 2001, Peter Hollingworth was officially sworn in as the Governor-General of Australia. He also became the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force. As the head of the Order of Australia, he was given the highest honour, Companion of the Order (AC), on 29 June 2001.
Resignation from Office
In December 2001, concerns were raised about how Mr. Hollingworth had handled certain serious complaints when he was the Archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s. These complaints involved a teacher at a church school. Later that month, the Anglican Church in Brisbane was ordered to pay a large sum of money to a person who had been harmed.
A public advocate, Hetty Johnston, called for Mr. Hollingworth to resign. Mr. Hollingworth stated that he was new to the Archbishop role at the time and felt he lacked the experience to manage the situation. He admitted that he could have done more to prevent harm. He later apologised to the person affected and spoke out against harm to children. However, by February 2002, some political leaders were asking for him to be removed from his position.
Mr. Hollingworth also stepped down from his roles as a patron for several charities, including those focused on children's welfare. His successor as archbishop, Phillip Aspinall, ordered an investigation. The investigation found that in 1993, Mr. Hollingworth had allowed a priest to continue working despite serious concerns.
In May 2003, the report about how these cases were handled was presented to the Queensland Parliament. On 8 May, Mr. Hollingworth publicly denied other serious allegations made against him from the 1960s. Several senior government officials suggested that Mr. Hollingworth should think about resigning. After a meeting with Prime Minister Howard on 11 May, Mr. Hollingworth temporarily stepped aside. On 26 May 2003, he announced his resignation, which became official on 29 May 2003. He received a pension and other benefits after his resignation.
Later Life and Passing
Peter Hollingworth passed away on 19 May 2026, after a long illness. He was 91 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Honours and Degrees
Peter Hollingworth received many awards for his service. In 1976, he was given the award of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 1988, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his contributions to the church and community.
In 2001, he received the Centenary Medal. Later that year, when he became Governor-General, he was given the highest honour, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). He also became a senior priest (canon) at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne in 1980. In 1991, he was named Australian of the Year. In 1997, he was named one of Australia's first Australian Living Treasures.
On 21 May 2001, he received a special Doctor of Letters degree (DLitt) from George Carey, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time. This degree was given for his important work in Christian social studies, helping people in need, studying poverty, and his leadership as a bishop. He also had six other honorary doctorates from Australian universities.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Hollingworth para niños
