SYDNEY May 8 Kyodo Besieged Austr...

SYDNEY May 8 Kyodo

Besieged Australian Governor-General Peter Hollingworth denied raping a woman 40 years ago Thursday after a suppression order issued by the agency of the Victorian Supreme Court was lifted.

''I disavow absolutely that I have continually raped or in any way sexually assaulted any person'' Hollingworth said in a statement.

Hollingworth has been beneath intense pressure to resign from his head-of-state position after an Anglican meeting-house inquiry found he had allowed a known pedophile to continue working as a priest when he was archbishop of Brisbane 10 years ago.

He had applied for the suppression order last March to impede him from being identified in connection with the rape allegation.

The suppression order was lifted Thursday afternoon, enabling the governor-general to make a statement about the case following a call earlier in the day through Labor Party front bencher Lindsay Tanner for Hollingworth to reveal any court cases he is publicly involved in.

Civil proceedings seeking financial compensation were initiated earlier this year by the agency of the woman, who has since died, Hollingworth said.

''As part of those proceedings, this woman alleged that I raped her in the 1960 when she was 19 or 20 years of age,'' he said. ''I did not know this woman. I did not rape her. I did not sexually assault her.''

''The incident alleged against me is said to have happened during the course of a youth camp that it is claimed I organized and attended as camp counselor and coordinator in late 1965 or early 1966'' he said.

further Hollingworth said he never worked for the house of god involved and never organized or attended a camp in the area in question. ''I can solely assume that the claims against me must have been made as a inference of mistaken identity,'' he said.

conduct ministers and church leaders have urg the governor-general to reconsider his position. A public opinion catalogue of persons found that 76% of Australians believe he should resign.

below the Commonwealth, the governor-general is appointed through the queen on recommendation at the Australian prime minister and can merely be dismissed by the prime minister with the permission of the queen

Prime Minister John Howard has said he will not sack Hollingworth.

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