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	Monsignor David Cappo Quits, As Mr X's Decision Is Questioned West Australian September 15, 2011 http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/10265365/civil-libertarians-blast-mp-over-naming/ Monsignor David Cappo has announced he will not take up the position of the chair as the newly formed National Mental Health Commission. His resignation from the role comes as earlier this week, Senator Nick Xenophon questioned his suitability for the role, over handling of a sexual abuse case involving a Catholic Priest in Adelaide. Senator Xenophon gave the Catholic Church in Adelaide a deadline for the priest in question to be stood down, or else he would 'name' the church in parliament Tuesday night. The priest was later named by Senator Xenophon as Monsignor Ian Dempsey, who has since 'categorically denied' the allegations. Monsignor Cappo said the controversy was detracting attention from Mental Health Commission. "While I emphatically reject any suggestion that I or the Church handled the complaint by John Hepworth with anything other than proper and due diligence, this matter has the potential to distract from the important work of the newly formed Mental Health Commission," he said in a media statement. "I cannot allow that to occur." "Accordingly, I have informed the Federal Government of my intention not to take up the position as Chair of the Commission. We have worked so hard to put mental health on the national agenda and I do not want, in any way, to have this progress jeopardised." Federal Minister for the Ageing and Mental Health, Mark Butler, said he understood Monsignor Cappo's decision. "I understand that this was a difficult decision that was not taken lightly, but it is a decision the Government respects," he said. "I still believe that, given his background and expertise, Monsignor Cappo was the obvious choice to lead the Mental Health Commission." 'Judge, Jury, Executioner'Mean time, civil liberties advocates want Nick Xenophon hauled before a parliamentary privileges committee after the independent senator named a Catholic priest at the centre of a rape allegation.The Australian Civil Liberties Association said the naming in parliament of Monsignor Ian Dempsey, accused of raping a now Anglican bishop, John Hepworth, was the "height of irresponsibility"."Parliamentary privilege comes with responsibility and in our view that responsibility has been breached," association spokesman Terry O'Gorman told AAP on Thursday."Xenophon is acting as judge, jury and executioner."Mr O'Gorman said the law protecting the reputations of people accused of sexual crimes until after a committal hearing was in place for a reason."Mud sticks in relation to sexual allegations," he said.Monsignor Dempsey, potentially, is able to make a right-of-reply to the Senate, a course of action being considered by the priest.But Mr O'Gorman said Senator Xenophon's actions should be referred to the upper house's privileges committee.The senator remains unrepentant about his naming of Monsignor Dempsey.He accused the Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide, Philip Wilson, of "an extraordinary lapse of judgment" in dealing with the rape claim.The senator seized on an admission by Archbishop Wilson that Monsignor Dempsey had not been stood down because the allegations did not involve the sexual assault of a child."However, if there are allegations of rape involving a priest against an adult then the criteria is different. I find that extraordinary."Senator Xenophon said the fact that the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, had intervened in the matter was an admission of "a complete and abject failure of process" by the church in SA."The priest at the centre of these allegations, announced yesterday that he would be going on annual leave for a month.""If I was aware that this priest was going to go on leave, if the church indicated that it would be undertaking a thorough and fair inquiry, fair to all parties involved, with an absolute presumption of innocence.""I would not have taken the course of action that I did.""So I think it’s quite curious that the Catholic church in South Australia seems to have dealt with this in a way, when they had another way to have avoided the course of conduct that I undertook."
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