Mr Guy committed suicide in 1990 shortly after he was charged with sexual abuse. He left a suicide note confessing that he had "loved" 20 girls at Toowoomba preparatory school, near Brisbane.

The supreme court in Queensland recently ruled that the Anglican diocese of Brisbane had failed in its duty of care and ordered it to pay A\$834,800 (£293,000) to a 24-year-old woman abused by a teacher, Kevin Guy. Since the verdict, another woman has launched legal action against the church.

Several witnesses told the court that Dr Hollingworth was informed of the allegations against Mr Guy during the time the school was backing Mr Guy's innocence. Dr Hollingworth, who held an honourary position on the school's governing council, said he was given legal advice recommending that he should not personally intervene or take responsibility for the victims. Yesterday he issued a statement, saying: "I am sorry that legal and insurance considerations to some extent inhibited our taking a more active role and more overtly expressing the church's concern for the physical, emotional and spiritual welfare of those affected by the actions of Mr Guy." One of Dr Hollingworth's former colleagues, David Axten, called on him to resign. "He's tainting the office [of governor general] by staying," he said. The prime minister, John Howard, who recommended the Queen appoint Dr Hollingworth as governor general in June, is refusing to comment.