Any chance to put in the boot ...

From Monday's The World Today

"The Archbishop of Brisbane, 45-year-old Phillip Aspinall, is the youngest Primate ever to be elected to lead the Australian congregation.

The Federal Treasurer Peter Costello lost no time in criticising him, saying Dr Aspinall is no expert on the Federal Government's proposed industrial relations changes, while some sexual abuse campaigners say they're not confident Dr Aspinall will do enough to help sex abuse victims.

Dr Aspinall was chosen over the weekend, ahead of his main contender, the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr Peter Jensen. But Dr Jensen has told The World Today he actually prayed not to be elected to the Primacy, as Tanya Nolan reports.

TANYA NOLAN: His first message as Primate was to encourage unity within the Anglican Order. But the Archbishop of Brisbane also defended his right to express his views outside the Church.

PHILLIP ASPINALL: I was asked yesterday whether I agreed with Minister Andrews that the churches should butt out of this discussion, and I don't agree with that.

TANYA NOLAN: But Treasurer Peter Costello agrees with Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews that church leaders should get all the facts before they start proselytising about the merits or otherwise of the Government's industrial reforms.

PETER COSTELLO: Phillip Aspinall, it's a free country, can say what he likes. But just because he has a theological degree, doesn't mean he's an IR expert.

TANYA NOLAN: He has in fact got degrees in science, education and business administration as well.

But the Treasurer, who's addressed the popular Pentecostal Hillsong congregation as recently as last week, has been telling ABC Radio's Jon Faine that he believes Anglican leaders tend to have more weight given to their views.

PETER COSTELLO: The general view in the media is a churchman's entitled to speak on a social issue, as long as he has a left-wing perspective.

JON FAINE: Is that how you see it?

PETER COSTELLO: I think that's the view probably in the ABC, yes. But if a churchman has a view on a social perspective that happens to be conservative, well that is a danger to democracy as we know it. That's sort of the view… Hillsong can't be good because it's not supporting a left-wing view, whereas an Anglican archbishop, that is good. Uniting Church, even better."

People ... who do you trust ... This man, this man, or this one???