DR PETER Hollingworth has at last done the right and honourable thing and resigned as Governor-General.
And now that the whole sorry affair is over - this chapter at least.
He and his wife can begin to rebuild their lives outside the vice-regal office.
It is unfortunate that a man who gave so much of his life to the community through his work as a priest and advocate for the sick and poor will be remembered for his alleged protection of a paedophile and for unprovable accusations that he sexually assaulted a young woman in the 1960s.
It is never nice to see otherwise good men fall from grace because of a past error of judgment - in this case, Dr Hollingworth's handling as Archbishop of Brisbane of a paedophile within his ranks.
When it became public that Dr Hollingworth had allowed a paedophile to continue as a priest, the political and public response was such that it was clear confidence in his tenure had faltered.
He insisted, however, that he should not resign from office.
His position was compromised further when a Victorian woman accused him of sexually assaulting her 40 years ago.
That allegation, though near -impossible to prove, prompted Dr Hollingworth to stand aside, a move unprecedented in Australian history, until the court action was resolved.
On Sunday, he announced his resignation, and was spot on when, in his statement, he said the controversy had the potential to "undermine and diminish my capacity to uphold the importance, dignity and integrity of this high office".
The nation's thoughts now turn to who should replace him.
It is no doubt, given the events of the past two months, a matter the Prime Minister will be giving long, hard thought to.
