Adelaide Priest Accused of Raping Archbishop John Hepworth Given Right to Reply in Senate, News.com Au, September 22, 2011

Adelaide Priest Accused of Raping Archbishop John Hepworth Given Right to Reply in Senate

News.com Au
September 22, 2011

http://www.news.com.au/national/adelaide-priest-accused-of-raping-archbishop-john-hepworth-given-right-to-reply-in-senate/story-e6frfkvr-1226144250651

Monsignor Ian Dempsey will be given the chance to defend his name in the Senate. Picture: Kelly Barnes

THE Adelaide priest named as an alleged rapist by Senator Nick Xenophon has the right to respond to the allegations in the Senate.

A Senate Privileges Committee yesterday ruled that Monsignor Ian Dempsey should receive a right of reply to the accusations.

The Senate yesterday tabled a letter from Monsignor Dempsey defending the allegations. This came as Senator Xenophon was yesterday visited in Parliament House by the man who made the allegations, Archbishop John Hepworth, the head of a breakaway Anglican group and a former Catholic priest.

In Monsignor Dempsey's letter provided to the Senate, first published in The Advertiser on Tuesday, he comprehensively denies the allegations. "I am innocent of these allegations which you used parliamentary privilege to name me," the letter states. "You irreparably smeared me and denigrated my reputation."

Earlier yesterday the Senate committee considered Monsignor Dempsey's letter and another letter complaining about Senator Xenophon's use of parliamentary privilege.

The Senate president can also trigger an inquiry into the naming of Monsignor Dempsey if senators seek further action. Monsignor Dempsey is on leave. Last night, Adelaide Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson said the Senate was to be commended for enabling Monsignor Dempsey to exercise his legal right to a reply.

Senator Xenophon said last night: "Every citizen has a right to reply."

Archbishop Hepworth raised his allegations with the Adelaide archdiocese of the Catholic Church four years ago. He claimed that Monsignor Dempsey had raped him when they were young priests more than 40 years ago.

Archbishop Hepworth claimed the archdiocese had been slow to investigate.

This prompted Senator Xenophon to name the priest in the Senate and criticise the handling of the case.

But the archdiocese has since revealed that Archbishop Hepworth was asked to authorise the investigation in 2009 but did not sign off on it until February this year.