The Australian government appeared unwilling to add to pressure on Governor-General Peter Hollingworth to resign following allegations he raped a woman in the 1960s, a claim he has strongly denied.

Acting prime minister John Anderson was "aware of the allegation and a strong statement of denial made by the governor-general", a spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The spokesman said that the matter was before the courts and Mr Anderson did not intent to comment further.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said that he stood by his earlier opinion that the government had no evidence to warrant dismissing Mr Hollingworth from his post.

The office is being damaged and the Governor-General should resign Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett

"The comments I have made before don't change, they are matters for him to consider and for him to take his own counsel and decisions," Mr Ruddock told reporters in Sydney.

The Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, is abroad and has not yet commented on the rape allegations.

An Australian newspaper said Mr Hollingworth was awaiting spiritual guidance and Mr Howard's return before deciding on his future.

But members of the political opposition were critical of Mr Hollingworth.

"Based on evidence already in the public arena, the office is being damaged and the Governor-General should resign," said Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett.

Labor frontbencher Lindsay Tanner says the Governor-General should have gone public with the accusation earlier.

"There is a fundamental principle of democracy at stake here, that is the people's right to know," he said

'Witch hunt'

The majority of the Australian public already appeared to believe that Mr Hollingworth should resign, before the rape allegations became public.

An opinion poll showed this week that of 1,400 voters, 76% believed he should step down over separate claims that he ignored cases of child abuse in the church while Archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s.

But Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman warned of a witch hunt against Mr Hollingworth.

"There must be procedural fairness in relation to sexual matters and particularly in relation to Dr Hollingworth and this just adds to my concern that procedural fairness or natural justice is rapidly beyond his reach," ABC News quoted him as saying.