"In its quest to stop the sexual abuse of children, the Australian government has put the Catholic church on equal footing with other institutions, and treated its leaders as fellow citizens." 

this is the heart of the matter.  IN the Middle Ages Catholic priests were immune from criminal law.  As recent as our life times, the sexual crimes of priests were swept under the rug by civil as well as church authorities.   Now that that has come to an end, priests, especially bishops, still believe they deserve special treatment.