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	Labor Senator Attacks Xenophon over Priest Herald Sun September 19, 2011 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/labor-senator-attacks-xenophon-over-priest/story-e6frf7jx-1226141269435 A LABOR senator has slammed independent Nick Xenophon for using parliamentary privilege to name a Catholic priest at the centre of a rape allegation. Senator Xenophon last week named South Australia's Monsignor Ian Dempsey as the priest accused of raping Adelaide-based Anglican Archbishop John Hepworth about 50 years ago. The priest named has since categorically denied the allegations. Senator Ursula Stephens slammed her colleague's behaviour in the Senate on Monday night, describing his use of parliamentary privilege as "offensive". She accused Senator Xenophon of acting "irresponsibly" and abusing the principles behind parliamentary privilege. "Senator Xenophon knew that to make the allegation could possibly destroy the priest's life," she told the chamber. "It is not our place, in this place to act as judge and jury." The man named has not been charged, he has been accused and has categorically denied the accusations, she said. "Where is the justice in naming him before any due legal processes have been undertaken? "The senator cannot be sure that the statements reflecting adversely on the priest he named are soundly based, when the matter has not been investigated by the police or the courts." Senator Stephens said the priest named deserved a right-of-reply. She compared Senator Xenophon to the character Jack in William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies. "Jack is energetic, active, productive.... Before long he's ignoring or refusing to follow Ralph's rules and making up his own ... and decides to follow his own path," she told the chamber. "I believe that what we saw in Senator Xenophon last Tuesday was his Jack-like seduction by the thrill of the hunt, the exhilaration of the naming," she said. "And frankly, I think it was beneath him." She doubted Senator Xenophon will achieve much from the naming. "Senator Xenophon wanted to speed up the church's investigation: will his action necessarily have this intended consequence?" she said. Senator Stephens said the ramifications of the naming were devastating. "The members of his (Monsignor Dempsey's) parish community are shocked, distressed and dismayed," she said. She said Monsignor David Cappo, who had been in charge of the ongoing investigation, had resigned from being chair of the new Mental Health Commission just one week into his appointment. "The commission, and the Australian public have lost the benefit of his expertise in an important area of social policy where he has so much to offer," she said. "He has had his reputation damaged - with little opportunity for redress."
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