Critics say Peter Hollingworth's record should have been checked

According to tradition, the prime minister privately tells Queen Elizabeth II who to appoint as her constitutional representative in Australia.

I'm not going to alter the convention that has been followed by all Australian prime ministers since 1931 Australian Prime Minister John Howard

But the prime minister said on Tuesday that he alone would be making the new appointment, and that it would be made in a matter of weeks.

"I'm not going to alter the convention that has been followed by all Australian prime ministers since 1931," he told Sydney radio station 2UE.

Mr Howard also defended the decision to award Mr Hollingworth his full pension of more than Aus$180,000 (US$117,000) a year.

He argued that it would be "petty" to begin cutting Mr Hollingworth's pension, despite the fact that he did not serve his full term.

Opposition frontbencher Wayne Swan that it was not fair that Mr Hollingworth received such a generous payout but child sexual assault victims often got nothing.

"There are many Australians who have been substantially wronged, including the victims of child sexual abuse, who will not be able to retire on such a healthy income," he told reporters.

Mr Howard told Australian parliament on Tuesday that he had no recollection of being told of Peter Hollingworth's mishandling of child sex allegations prior to his appointment as governor-general.