For 18 months Hollingsworth had defended allegations he failed to act appropriately when as Archbishop of Brisbane he had been advised of historic child abuse.

No doubt Hollingsworth’s priorities were to protect his personal reputation, the Anglican Church and its ordained priests in that order, regardless of victims’ sufferings, but his actions ultimately diminished his personal reputation, the Anglican Church and the office of governor-general.

He didn’t actually fall on his mitre until hooked around his neck by his bishop’s crook and dragged to the realisation of his moral and leadership failures.

Lieutenant General David Morrison was appointed chief of army (CA) in July 2011.

His tenure was also marked by sexual abuse allegations against some junior army members.

Specifically Morrison had to deal with the “Jedi Council” which seems to have been a core group of 12 to 17 and up to 172 others who, from July 2010, received sexually explicit material emailed on the defence restricted network, accessible only by accredited defence personnel.

Some of those on the Jedi email list claimed they were neither willing recipients nor read the emails and their attachments.

They were discovered in September 2010 and the chief perpetrator dismissed by his defence contractor employer.

The police were notified as was the army which instigated an internal inquiry.

Such incidents with the potential to adversely impact the army’s reputation are included in regular, ongoing critical issues briefs prepared for the chief of army’s office.

It is inconceivable to suggest that staff in that office, including the deputy chief of army were unaware of the allegations or that they not alert the CA.

What is obvious is the secretive defence public affairs organisation prepared a response to protect the reputations of the organisation and senior officers in the chain of command in that order, regardless of the victims and anyone who had unwittingly or unwillingly been on the Jedi Council email list.

While equally secretive ADF investigations failed to identify or recommend charges against those alleged to be involved, plans were clearly being made to protect the CA and his immediate hierarchy from criticism.

It wasn’t until June 2013 Morrison reacted and posted his now infamous YouTube video.

Morrison admits the speech wasn’t entirely written by him and on the ABC Q&Aprogram he admitted the most quoted line, “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” was borrowed from then defence force chief and now NSW governor David Hurley.

The following November, Morrison announced six army personnel had been sacked over the Jedi Council allegations.

One wonders who set the timeline and why, and who determined the priorities of the announcement. Were Morrison’s decisions correct and timely or was there a hidden agenda? 

Who has not received unsolicited emails that are difficult if not impossible to stop?

One senior officer, a lieutenant colonel who claimed not to have read the unsolicited emails, was investigated and allegedly cleared of wrongdoing by both Morrison and CDF David Hurley.

Morrison later sacked him from a prestigious command appointment apparently on the grounds he failed to remain aware of affairs which affected him, his unit and the army.

If Morrison did not know of the Jedi Council and the allegations about their behaviour then he stands accused of the same failure.

If he did know then he needs to explain why he did not act against the alleged perpetrators for more than two years.

There is much we do not know about these incidents so for the sake of transparency, if not accountability, then both Morrison and the army need to make full disclosure.

Publicly disgraced, his life and career shattered, the sacked officer has allegedly twice attempted suicide, the last on the night Morrison was announced Australian of the Year.

That has not proved a popular choice with the wider defence community but a stern Morrison has stood his ground, defending his controversial decisions while CA.

He has been accused by that same defence community of being more concerned with his self interest and personal reputation than those of the community from whence he came and which he once commanded. Like the disgraced archbishop he is standing his ground in the face of hostile criticism.

In dealing with the allegations within their organisations, both men seemed more concerned for themselves but their legacies have been to leave the reputations of the organisations they led and the good people in them in tatters.

If there are more as yet undisclosed sexual impropriety issues under Morrison’s watch, and there are suggestions there may be, then his position will become untenable.

Perhaps it’s time for Peter Hollingsworth to pick up the phone and give David Morrison a call.

Ross Eastgate OAM is a News Corp defence contributor.