AUSTRALIA
The Guardian (UK)
Katharine Murphy deputy political editor
theguardian.com, Wednesday 13 November 2013
The prime minister has gone in to bat for his friend, the leader of the Catholic church in Australia, George Pell, a man who was “not perfect” but was nonetheless “a fine human being, a great churchman”.
Tony Abbott was asked to comment on a report that followed an inquiry in Victoria, which was highly critical of Pell, his attitudes to the problems evidenced in comments before the inquiry and the institutional failures of the Catholic church in stopping child abuse.
The report, tabled on Wednesday in the Victorian parliament, recommended a broad range of actions to strengthen protections for victims, as well as additional child protection measures.
The prime minister is close to Pell. Abbott said on Thursday his understanding was that Pell was the first “senior cleric who took this issue seriously”.
“Is he perfect? No,” Abbott told 3AW on Thursday morning . “He is in my judgment a fine human being, a great churchman.
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