Doctor Clears Pell to Travel to Australia

Sky News
February 4, 2016

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/2016/02/05/pell-not-too-unwell-to-travel-to-australia.html


Cardinal George Pell is continuing to resist efforts to have him return to Australia to give evidence at the royal commission into child sexual abuse due to ill health.

Cardinal Pell, who is based in Rome where he manages the Vatican's finances, was initially scheduled to give evidence in Melbourne in December, but cancelled because of a worsening heart condition.

The commission wants to hear testimony from Cardinal Pell, as well as former Bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns, about decades of sexual and physical abuse at schools run by the Catholic clergy in Melbourne and Ballarat.

Lawyers for Cardinal Pell, at a directions hearing on Friday to consider his capacity to return to Australia for a hearing on February 22, again requested he instead give evidence via video link, despite a medical examination on January 29 not precluding his from travelling.

Alan Myers, QC, representing Cardinal Pell, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that the 74-year-old "when he was able to, was not unwilling to travel to Australia and give evidence before the commission".

"For the reasons that are set out in the medical opinion to which I've referred, that's not the position at the moment," Mr Myers said.

But commission chair Justice Peter McClellan said the medical opinion tendered did not say Cardinal Pell could not travel to Australia.

"That doesn't preclude his travel, does it?" Justice McClellan asked.

"The doctor opines that it would be difficult for him to undertake a flight. It doesn't mean he can't come."

Senior counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness, suggested that "there are a number of ways of travelling to Australia which would permit shorter journeys to be made, albeit over a longer period of time".

Justice McClellan said he would consider the applications over the weekend.

"I understand what you say. There are other means of getting in," he said in response to the suggestion from Ms Furness.

"One can come by ship, I suppose, but there is a need to bring the matter to an end in everyone's interests as soon as we can conveniently do so."

Justice McClellan had previously made it clear it was his preference for Cardinal Pell to appear in person. He will announce his decision on Monday.