Tony Abbott - Cardinal Pell is one of the greatest churchmen that Australia has seen

Tony Abbott - Cardinal Pell is one of the greatest churchmen that Australia has seen

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott’s seriously awkward interview surrounding his meeting with “mentor” Cardinal George Pell has resurfaced today.

In 2004, a young Mr Abbott, then health minister, denied he had met with Cardinal Pell in the interview with ABC Lateline host, Tony Jones. But seconds later was backtracking.

He was asked by Jones if he had met with Cardinal Pell recently and denied he had.

Mr Abbott’s denial was short lived, because in just a few seconds, Mr Abbott would say: “Actually now that you mention it, I did meet with Cardinal Pell. So what? Why shouldn’t I meet with Cardinal Pell?”

Cardinal Pell’s spokeswoman said at the time the meeting was “personal”.

Days after the cardinal’s meeting with Mr Abbott, Cardinal Pell put out a statement in opposition to Labor’s education plan.

At the time, Mr Abbott’s supposed meeting just 10 days before sparked a national debate on the influence of religion in politics and whether the two could mix in harmony.

“He met with him 10 days ago and can’t remember it,” then-Labor leader Mark Latham said.

It forced Mr Abbott to confront his religious beliefs and be straight with the Australian public.

It comes as no surprise that today, after police confirmed this morning Cardinal Pell — Australia’s most senior Catholic and the third most powerful in the Vatican — had been charged “with multiple historical sexual assault offences” that the internet should dig up the interview.

“Cardinal Pell is a fine man, why shouldn’t I meet with him?” Mr Abbott said in the 2004 interview.

“Cardinal Pell is one of the greatest churchmen that Australia has seen.”

This is some amazing vision from 2004: Tony Abbott grilled by Tony Jones about his encounters with Cardinal Pell pic.twitter.com/4zeMP43PNc — Mark Di Stefano 🤙🏻 (@MarkDiStef) June 29, 2017

In a later interview with 3AW in 2013, Mr Abbott said despite having not seen the report, “I have a lot of time for George Pell. Does that mean that he’s perfect? No. Does that mean he doesn’t bear some responsibility for the errors of the church? Of course not. My understanding is that the first senior cleric who took this issue very seriously is Cardinal Pell.

“He is, in my judgment, a fine human being.

Cardinal Pell has been summonsed to appear at a filing hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18. The 76-year-old released a short statement where he declared he would return to Australia from the Vatican to answer the charges — as long as he was cleared to travel by doctors.

“Cardinal Pell will return to Australia, as soon as possible, to clear his name following advice and approval by his doctors who will also advise on his travel arrangements.”

The statement issued by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney said he “strenuously” denied the charges.

“[Cardinal Pell] said he is looking forward to his day in court and will defend the charges vigorously.”

The Chaser would eventually write their own comedic take on the interview disaster with Mr Abbott.