Morrison backs push to strip George Pell’s Order of Australia honours
Scott Morrison is prepared to push to strip George Pell of his Order of Australia honours as the Cardinal prepares to go straight to jail after his bail application was withdrawn.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to help a push for Cardinal George Pell to be stripped of his Order of Australia honours after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two choirboys.
Pell’s application for bail was withdrawn today at his pre-sentencing hearing. His bail was revoked and he will spend his first night behind bars.
News Corp understands the Prime Minister’s office will refer the Order of Australia matter to the Council of the Order of Australia if Pell’s appeal was unsuccessful.
READ NOW: Rolling coverage of Pell in court
From there, the Council will investigate and make a recommendation to Governor-General Peter Cosgrove as to whether ot not he should revoke Pell’s appointment to the Order.
A criminal conviction is grounds for “termination” of the award.
The Governor-General took a similar step with Rolf Harris in 2015 after he was convicted of the indecent assault of four school girls.
Mr Morrison’s backing comes hours after Senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Derryn Hinch called for Pell to be stripped of his honours.
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Pell is back in court today, where Crown Prosecutor Mark Gibson told a packed room the high-ranking Catholic faced 10 years’ jail on each of the five child sex offence charges.
Mr Gibson said the offending was “serious offending”.
The Cardinal withdrew his bail application which was scheduled for the Court of Appeal this afternoon as his pre-sentence hearing continues today.
This means he will be jailed today following the sentence hearing, one day after the Australian media was finally able to reveal that Pell had become the world’s most senior Catholic official to be convicted of child sexual abuse.
A jury found him guilty of abusing two boys at a Melbourne cathedral just months into his appointment as Archbishop in 1996.
The jurors returned a unanimous verdict as part of a retrial following a hung jury in September.
But a suppression order had prevented media from reporting the finding until Tuesday morning.
Former prime minister John Howard is among those who provided character references for Pell as his lawyers tried to fight for a lower-end sentence.
REMOVE HONOUR ‘JUST LIKE ROLF’
Senator Hanson-Young told the ABC Australia doesn’t “stand for this kind of abuse of children and the cover-up it has endured.”
Pell was appointed to the Order of Australia in 2005 for service to the Catholic Church in Australia and internationally, in particular for raising debate on education and social justice.
An online petition calling for Pell’s award to be terminated has already garnered almost 5000 signatures.
Senator Hinch also called on the government to remove the honour “just like with Rolf Harris”.
Speaking to Channel 7’s Sunrise program, the Senator said he also thought Pell should be defrocked by the church.
Yesterday, the Governor-General’s office would not be drawn on whether it would consider removing Pell’s Order of Australia honours.
A spokesman for the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General told News Corp he was unable to comment on individual cases but noted no decision would be made until after legal proceedings wrapped up.
“The Council for the Order of Australia investigates matters brought to its attention and considers each case individually,” he said.
“After due process, the Council recommends appropriate action to the Governor-General as the Chancellor of the Order.
“This process is not finalised until court proceedings are completed.
“Notification of a termination or cancellation is announced in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.”
HE’S STILL A FRIEND: ARCHBISHOP
This morning the Archbishop of Melbourne confirmed he would visit Pell in prison.
Peter A. Comensoli told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell that he speaks with Pell on a regular basis and described him as a “stoic” person.
He told the radio program that Pell was a friend and would remain one from here.
He also said he planned to visit him in jail as soon as possible.
VATICAN SAYS CONVICTION IS ‘PAINFUL’
Meanwhile the Vatican has described Pell’s convictions as “painful’’ and said he would continue to be banned from having contact with minors until the conclusion of his appeal.
In a brief statement issued in Italian and English, the interim director of the Vatican press office Alessandro Gisotti said the Holy See acknowledged the decision of the court.
Mr Gisotti described the verdict as “painful news we are well aware has shocked many people, not only in Australia.’’
“As we have already confirmed on many other occasions, we repeat that we have maximum respect towards the Australian judicial authorities,’’ he said.
He said given that respect, the Vatican would “wait the result of the final verdict, remembering that the Cardinal Pell has repeated his innocence and deserves the right to defend himself.’’
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In the meantime, the Vatican said it would join with the Bishops in Australia to pray for “all victims of abuse’’ and continue efforts to ensure the church was a safe place for everyone, particularly children and the vulnerable.
Mr Gisotti said in order to ensure the course of justice, Pope Francis had confirmed precautionary measures imposed on Pell when he went to Australia to face the charges 18 months ago would be maintained until all legal proceedings were complete.
This includes a continued ban on having any contact with minors, and a ban on public ministering.
When Pell returned to court this morning he was taunted outside as he made his way in.
He was forced to endure listening to words like “maggot”, “you are a paedophile”, “go to hell” and “you are filth, the devil, a monster” as he made a snail pace walk into the court.
He could be jailed as early as today after his conviction.
Meanwhile, the only living survivor of Pell’s abuse has called for peace, saying he doesn’t want relatives dragged into the scandal.
“Like many survivors, I have experienced shame, loneliness, depression and struggle,” the victim said. “Like many survivors, it has taken me years to understand the impact on my life. At some point we realise that we trusted someone who should have feared and we fear those genuine relationships that we should trust.”
THE VATICAN’S FULL STATEMENT
“The Holy See is united with what was declared by the President of the Australian Episcopal Conference in taking note of the sentence in the first instance against Cardinal George Pell.
“It is painful news that, we are well aware, has shocked many people, not only in Australia. As already stated on other occasions, we reiterate the utmost respect for the Australian judicial authorities.
“In this respect, we now await the outcome of the appeal process, recalling that Cardinal Pell has reiterated his innocence and has the right to defend himself to the last degree.
“While waiting for the final judgment, we join the Australian bishops in praying for all the victims of abuse, reaffirming our commitment to do everything possible so that the Church is a safe house for everyone, especially for children and the most vulnerable.
“To guarantee the course of justice, the Holy Father confirmed the precautionary measures already in place for Cardinal George Pell since he was sent back to Australia [for the trial].
“Until the definitive verdict, Cardinal Pell is forbidden, as a precautionary measure, from continuing in his ministry and from having contact with minors in any form.”
Originally published as Morrison backs push to strip George Pell’s Order of Australia honours
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