An unprecedented political crisis confronts the Federal Government on two fronts today, threatening to severely damage its political effectiveness and hasten the departure of the Prime Minister, John Howard.

The Governor-General, Peter Hollingworth, leaves today for a three-day official visit to New Zealand, leaving behind him an ongoing controversy over his handling of child sex abuse allegations in the Brisbane Anglican church diocese. There are now widespread calls for Hollingworth’s resignation. It is difficult to see how he can survive much longer, but John Howard faces an exquisite dilemma in that he probably does not want to be the first prime minister to dismiss a governor-general.

The more damaging problem for the government is the revelation by Air Marshal Angus Houston, the Acting Head of the Defence Force, to the Senate Estimates Committee that former Defence Minister Peter Reith was told on November 7 that there was uncertainty about the children overboard allegations. [Read more…]