AUSTRALIAN SENATOR NAMED A RC PRIEST RAPED A FELLOW PRIEST
CANBERRA, Australia - An Australian senator came under fire on Wednesday for using his special immunity from prosecution to name a Roman Catholic priest accused of raping a fellow priest more than 40 years ago.Nick Xenophon, an independent senator, had presented the church with an ultimatum: remove the priest from his duties or his name would be made public within 24 hours.
On Tuesday night, Xenophon followed through on his threat and told the Senate the priest's identity and said he was being investigated by the church over an alleged rape in the 1960s.- Xenophon cannot be sued for anything he says in the Senate and the Australian media cannot be held liable for reporting any false accusation that he might make.
- Lawmakers yesterday attacked Xenophon's action as a misuse of his parliamentary privilege.
"This was a secret that, in good conscience, I did not feel I could or should keep," Xenophon told the Senate.Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson rejected Xenophon's claim of church mishandling.
"I am deeply distressed that Senator Xenophon has named the priest in Parliament," Wilson said.
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