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(gentle music)
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(somber music)
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(somber music continues)
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(somber music continues)
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- You can't live in
Australia and not hear
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about the Hillsong Church.
- Hillsong.
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- Hillsong.
- Hillsong.
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- Hillsong.
- Hillsong.
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(somber music continues)
- In terms of becoming aware
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of the failings of the church,
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the crimes of some of
its senior members,
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well, I think you go back
to this town hall meeting.
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(tense music)
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This was a time
when institutional
child sexual abuse,
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00:00:56,925 --> 00:01:00,035
in many ways, was considered
a kind of dark secret,
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a place for conspiracies.
(tense music continues)
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Victims were
damaged individuals,
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and the institutions were the
kind of privileged voices.
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(tense music continues)
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I spent 11 years in Parliament
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fighting for victims
of child sexual abuse
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from institutions,
especially the churches.
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When you're doing this kind
of work as a politician,
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you absolutely
need to find a way
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for the story to be told
and fix these broken laws.
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(tense music continues)
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We booked a big hall
for a Saturday morning.
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We put out a few fliers,
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and we weren't sure
who would turn up.
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And I remember getting there
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about 15 minutes before
the meeting started,
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and there was a crowd
of people outside
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waiting for the doors to open.
(melancholy music)
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And I thought to myself, well,
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this is going to be
bigger than I suspected.
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Within a few minutes,
those seats filled,
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and then we put out more
seats and more seats
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and more seats.
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And then this hall filled
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with hundreds,
hundreds of people.
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And there were people
standing on the side.
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(melancholy music continues)
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There was this emotion,
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raw emotion in the room.
(melancholy music continues)
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- [Victim] He was a monster.
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An absolute monster.
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- My son committed suicide.
(melancholy music continues)
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- Victims and families
were telling their stories.
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After we'd heard
from the victims,
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we had this police
officer step up.
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(melancholy music continues)
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- Do we need a royal
commission? By hell we do.
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(audience applauding)
(melancholy music continues)
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- A royal commission
looks a lot like a court,
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but it has powers that
go well beyond the court.
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It can force the truth
from institutions.
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It can force witnesses
to tell the truth.
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This was the first
and best chance
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that these victims had had.
(melancholy music continues)
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There was this growing
media coverage.
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It felt like the
moment had arrived.
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(gentle downbeat music)
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♪ I hope you find
some peace of mind ♪
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♪ In this lifetime ♪
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(gentle downbeat
music continues)
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♪ I hope you find
some paradise ♪
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(gentle downbeat
music continues)
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(gentle downbeat
music continues)
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(gentle downbeat
music continues)
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(no audio)
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(somber music)
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- I think it's incredibly
hard to report on Hillsong
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for a number of reasons.
(somber music continues)
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The church is not
transparent in any way.
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00:04:04,321 --> 00:04:06,394
It's run by a board of directors
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that was ostensibly
handpicked by Brian Houston.
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- Amen! Amen!
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- They don't communicate
with the press,
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and the church forces
a lot of people
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to sign non-disclosure
agreements.
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(somber music continues)
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You know, if you say bad
things about Hillsong,
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Hillsong can then pursue
litigation against you,
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so that scares a
lot of people off.
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(somber music continues)
(traffic whooshing)
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So as a journalist,
sometimes you have to talk
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to other journalists who are
working on the same story.
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You share information, you
share leads, you share contacts,
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and together, you
advance the story.
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(somber music continues)
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- [Recorder] Mr.
Beckett, thank you.
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- [Beckett] Pastor Houston,
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I wonder if you could state your
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full name, please.
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- My full name is
Brian Charles Houston.
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- [Beckett] Thank you.
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If in our litigation
against any senior pastor,
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if that had come forward,
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you would want to know
about that, wouldn't you?
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- If I had been told
something like that,
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00:05:06,541 --> 00:05:08,614
I would've been like
a dog with a bone
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going after what we're
talking about here.
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I was oblivious.
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Completely oblivious.
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- [Beckett] All right.
(tense music)
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I'll just take you through
some of the period before that.
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(upbeat rock music)
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- We moved here
in 1978, you know,
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roughly 12 months
after my parents.
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Initially, it was going to be
a one-year working holiday.
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(upbeat rock music continues)
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- Brian came over
to help his father
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when his father moved to
Sydney to start a church.
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(upbeat rock music continues)
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There were a number
of churches in Sydney
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that were like 50 to 100 people,
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and yet Frank had 1,000
in the space of a year.
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(upbeat rock music continues)
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- I was a window cleaner,
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and then eventually became
an assistant pastor.
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From there, planted
three different churches.
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The third one was what
now is Hillsong Church.
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Give someone a warm
hug or a handshake
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00:06:01,104 --> 00:06:03,211
and welcome people to church.
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Amen!
(congregation chattering)
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- Brian really
appreciated the role
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that music played in
his father's services,
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so really early in the process
of starting his own church,
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he teamed up with a very
talented professional musician
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named Geoff Bullock.
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- I spoke to the then worship
pastor in my dad's church
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00:06:22,703 --> 00:06:24,240
and says, "Can you help us out
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with someone to play piano
and give us some music?"
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And he says, "Well, I can
only give you Geoff Bullock."
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(tense music)
(congregation laughing)
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- The early days of Hills
Christian Life Center.
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We started in August, '83
with an out-of-tune piano
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on the stage of Baulkham
Hills Public School.
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By summer '84, we had maybe
100, 150 people in the church.
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A lot of musicians'd
come from other churches.
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(tense music continues)
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Brian and I are floating around
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our above-ground swimming pools
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pretending to be millionaires.
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And that's when I said to Brian,
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"We should call the
music team Hillsong."
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He said, "Why would we do that?"
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00:07:01,084 --> 00:07:02,756
And I said, "Well,
it's better than saying
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00:07:02,789 --> 00:07:04,662
the Hills Christian
Life Centre Music Team."
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00:07:05,898 --> 00:07:09,108
So that's when the
name Hillsong was born.
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The thing exploded.
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(tape clicks)
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00:07:12,719 --> 00:07:17,333
The Brian I remember was
a bit of a goofy guy.
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(gentle orchestral music)
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- He was quite a Ned
Flanders-looking character.
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- And we just really
love to have you here
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and wanna encourage you
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just to be a part
of what God's doing.
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- I found him so average.
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I didn't really think he
was going to go anywhere.
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(gentle orchestral
music continues)
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Who knew?
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- When Brian started preaching,
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his eyes would blink flat out.
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(gentle orchestral
music continues)
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- He wasn't the world's
greatest preacher,
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but he was full of enthusiasm.
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He was very entrepreneurial.
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- You can see the potential.
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- God, I'm believing to see
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a mighty revival in
this part of the city.
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How many can believe for that?
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Hallelujah!
(congregation clapping)
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- And he was the type
of person that you,
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00:08:01,063 --> 00:08:02,401
not only wanted to like,
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00:08:02,434 --> 00:08:04,407
but you wanted him to like you.
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00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,313
(gentle orchestral
music continues)
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I think Brian was always
trying to impress his father
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00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,431
and follow in his
father's shoes,
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00:08:12,464 --> 00:08:14,738
but not to do it
like his father.
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00:08:14,772 --> 00:08:19,151
- So praise God!
(congregation applauding)
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- In 1989, six years after
starting Hills Christian Centre,
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Brian took a trip to
the United States.
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(gentle music)
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1989 America was like real
excess and very few apologies.
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Americans were just
doing it more and bigger.
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(gentle music continues)
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Brian hooked up with a
lot of American pastors
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who were teaching the
prosperity gospel.
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They teach that if you
give money to the church,
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God will give you money
and good health in return.
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- Someone had a growth.
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00:08:47,001 --> 00:08:48,339
I just saw a growth
being healed.
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00:08:48,372 --> 00:08:51,180
- The message that's
being preached:
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00:08:51,214 --> 00:08:54,825
power is good, and you
should ask God for power.
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00:08:54,858 --> 00:08:58,369
Money is good, and you should
absolutely ask God for money,
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00:08:58,402 --> 00:09:01,278
and the success that you have
is a sign of God's blessing.
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00:09:01,311 --> 00:09:02,381
- I like new money.
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00:09:02,414 --> 00:09:04,019
I don't know if you do.
200
00:09:04,052 --> 00:09:05,323
But I hate old money
that's wrinkled and dirty
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00:09:05,357 --> 00:09:07,196
and got all the diseases on it.
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00:09:07,229 --> 00:09:09,937
- [Kristin] So it's an
incredibly effective way
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00:09:09,970 --> 00:09:12,411
to amass money and power
204
00:09:12,444 --> 00:09:14,484
if you're trying to
build a religious empire.
205
00:09:14,517 --> 00:09:16,188
(gentle music continues)
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00:09:16,223 --> 00:09:18,094
- When God speaks to you,
I know He'll bless you.
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00:09:18,128 --> 00:09:21,505
- It also is very
much prone to abuse,
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00:09:21,538 --> 00:09:23,210
(gentle music continues)
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00:09:23,244 --> 00:09:26,185
because anybody who has power
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00:09:26,219 --> 00:09:29,027
to speak for God can
make demands of you.
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00:09:29,061 --> 00:09:30,498
- Then if you could
send a gift of $50.
212
00:09:30,532 --> 00:09:32,136
(gentle music continues)
213
00:09:32,170 --> 00:09:34,377
- And I want you to make
a $1,000 vow of faith.
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00:09:34,410 --> 00:09:38,924
Oh, I know you probably don't
have $1,000, but vow it.
215
00:09:38,957 --> 00:09:42,334
- Prosperity preachers are
manipulating people to give,
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00:09:42,367 --> 00:09:45,477
not to bless people, but
to line their own pockets.
217
00:09:45,510 --> 00:09:47,382
(gentle music continues)
218
00:09:47,416 --> 00:09:49,288
- It benefits the people who
are preaching the gospel.
219
00:09:49,322 --> 00:09:50,692
It doesn't benefit the faithful.
220
00:09:50,725 --> 00:09:52,331
(congregation clapping)
221
00:09:52,364 --> 00:09:55,573
That was the culture that Brian
caught in the United States,
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00:09:55,607 --> 00:09:58,282
and so he came back
and really made a shift
223
00:09:58,315 --> 00:10:01,090
from an Assemblies of
God Pentecostalism,
224
00:10:01,123 --> 00:10:04,099
which is pretty blue collar,
225
00:10:04,132 --> 00:10:07,008
and really money
became the center
226
00:10:07,041 --> 00:10:08,111
of what the church
was all about.
227
00:10:08,144 --> 00:10:10,618
(upbeat music)
228
00:10:14,730 --> 00:10:16,470
(upbeat music continues)
229
00:10:16,503 --> 00:10:18,977
- [Announcer] Brian
Houston presents "Money".
230
00:10:19,010 --> 00:10:20,315
- There's not one
person in this building
231
00:10:20,348 --> 00:10:23,324
who doesn't need more money.
232
00:10:23,357 --> 00:10:24,560
♪ Wake up, wake up, wake up ♪
233
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- What an awesome thing it is
234
00:10:25,763 --> 00:10:27,436
to have you as
part of our world.
235
00:10:27,469 --> 00:10:29,174
- [Announcer] To purchase
any of the products
236
00:10:29,208 --> 00:10:31,548
you've just seen, write
to Hillsong Australia.
237
00:10:31,581 --> 00:10:33,086
- [Kristin] "You
Need More Money".
238
00:10:33,119 --> 00:10:34,257
- You'll say, I am rich!
239
00:10:35,727 --> 00:10:38,134
- Brian ended up writing that
book, "You Need More Money".
240
00:10:39,572 --> 00:10:42,481
I think what he meant
was he wanted more money.
241
00:10:42,514 --> 00:10:45,790
- All of a sudden, we're
talking about Ferragamo shoes
242
00:10:45,823 --> 00:10:48,064
and Armani suits.
(upbeat music continues)
243
00:10:48,097 --> 00:10:49,769
And every time we went anywhere,
244
00:10:49,802 --> 00:10:51,808
we had to get a
Gianni Versace tie
245
00:10:51,841 --> 00:10:55,486
or we had to get
Gianni Versace socks.
246
00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,529
I remember laughing
one day and thinking,
247
00:10:58,562 --> 00:11:00,702
Gianni Versace's the
patron saint of Hillsong.
248
00:11:00,735 --> 00:11:04,213
(upbeat music continues)
249
00:11:04,247 --> 00:11:07,088
- Then you saw this
real deliberate attempt
250
00:11:07,121 --> 00:11:08,392
to reinvent himself in the image
251
00:11:08,425 --> 00:11:10,531
of what he thought
would be most attractive
252
00:11:10,565 --> 00:11:11,701
to potential followers,
253
00:11:11,735 --> 00:11:15,246
which was very
heavily fake tanned,
254
00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:16,650
he's got bleach-white teeth,
255
00:11:16,683 --> 00:11:18,389
he's got ripped arms.
256
00:11:18,422 --> 00:11:19,625
- That's 29!
257
00:11:19,659 --> 00:11:20,561
That's 30!
258
00:11:22,367 --> 00:11:23,169
- [David] He's
really the alpha male
259
00:11:23,203 --> 00:11:25,175
in the room, and
everyone knows it.
260
00:11:25,209 --> 00:11:27,516
- Would you all say it
with me? Spiritually alive?
261
00:11:27,549 --> 00:11:30,291
Spiritually alive!
262
00:11:30,325 --> 00:11:32,497
- They ended up
hiring a consultant.
263
00:11:32,531 --> 00:11:35,138
Brian said, "Look, I'm
gonna hire this guy.
264
00:11:35,172 --> 00:11:38,315
He costs $50,000, and
he's going to teach us
265
00:11:38,349 --> 00:11:40,888
how to raise funds so we
can spread the gospel."
266
00:11:40,923 --> 00:11:45,236
Recruitment and growth were
very strong focal points.
267
00:11:45,269 --> 00:11:47,743
There also seemed
to be an increase
268
00:11:47,776 --> 00:11:50,150
in opportunities to donate.
269
00:11:50,183 --> 00:11:52,658
- Are you serving Jesus tonight?
270
00:11:52,691 --> 00:11:53,928
- The church got bigger.
271
00:11:53,962 --> 00:11:55,934
We moved into the
warehouse next door,
272
00:11:55,968 --> 00:11:57,071
knocked the wall down.
273
00:11:57,104 --> 00:11:58,909
And then we moved into the
local entertainment center,
274
00:11:58,943 --> 00:12:00,381
1,500 people.
275
00:12:00,415 --> 00:12:02,186
Then we bought more
and more equipment.
276
00:12:02,220 --> 00:12:03,657
Then we started
recording albums.
277
00:12:03,691 --> 00:12:05,496
We formed a publishing company.
278
00:12:05,530 --> 00:12:08,205
We did all these music
books, and it was...
279
00:12:09,742 --> 00:12:10,745
Well, it was exhausting.
280
00:12:10,778 --> 00:12:13,152
(tense music)
281
00:12:14,423 --> 00:12:15,326
- [Alex] You're not
there for Jesus.
282
00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,599
You're there for Brian Houston.
283
00:12:17,632 --> 00:12:19,338
- Why don't we just stay
standing for a moment?
284
00:12:19,372 --> 00:12:21,778
- He shows up on Sunday
in a chauffeured car.
285
00:12:21,811 --> 00:12:23,250
He gets in an elevator
286
00:12:23,283 --> 00:12:25,656
that takes him to a
private green room.
287
00:12:25,690 --> 00:12:27,863
He loves to hobnob
with celebrities.
288
00:12:27,896 --> 00:12:30,571
He goes out into
the church space
289
00:12:30,605 --> 00:12:32,377
and he sits in a roped off area.
290
00:12:32,411 --> 00:12:34,417
(tense music continues)
291
00:12:34,450 --> 00:12:35,686
- Brian Houston acted
292
00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,829
as a sort of spiritual
father to Carl Lentz.
293
00:12:38,862 --> 00:12:40,000
Carl learned a lot from Brian
294
00:12:40,033 --> 00:12:41,638
in terms of how to run a church,
295
00:12:41,671 --> 00:12:43,277
how to operate in a green room
296
00:12:43,310 --> 00:12:44,981
with celebrities and athletes.
297
00:12:45,015 --> 00:12:46,987
Carl also brought
something to the table
298
00:12:47,021 --> 00:12:48,559
that Brian didn't have.
299
00:12:48,592 --> 00:12:49,862
Carl, by all accounts,
300
00:12:49,895 --> 00:12:52,604
is a great speaker and
a charismatic presence.
301
00:12:52,637 --> 00:12:54,510
Brian's never really
been praised for that.
302
00:12:54,543 --> 00:12:56,449
He's been known
more for brute force
303
00:12:56,483 --> 00:12:59,959
and for making things
happen by whichever means.
304
00:12:59,993 --> 00:13:01,831
- My faith, my strength.
305
00:13:01,865 --> 00:13:03,937
(congregation applauding)
306
00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:12,798
(congregation applauding)
307
00:13:17,879 --> 00:13:20,454
(tense music)
308
00:13:24,466 --> 00:13:27,742
- I met Brian when I
was 15 years of age.
309
00:13:27,776 --> 00:13:29,013
Our friendship grew.
310
00:13:29,047 --> 00:13:31,421
And when Brian started
Christian Life Centre,
311
00:13:31,454 --> 00:13:33,994
I was asked to go in
and pastor the church.
312
00:13:36,101 --> 00:13:37,772
- Back in the day,
Christian Life Centre
313
00:13:37,806 --> 00:13:40,781
had some pretty strict
boundaries for young people.
314
00:13:40,815 --> 00:13:44,092
(tense music continues)
315
00:13:44,125 --> 00:13:46,633
- Youth group was about
resisting the flesh,
316
00:13:46,666 --> 00:13:48,672
resisting those urges
317
00:13:48,705 --> 00:13:51,781
and keeping yourself
kind of for marriage.
318
00:13:51,814 --> 00:13:53,954
(tense music continues)
319
00:13:53,987 --> 00:13:56,128
And I actually became pregnant.
320
00:13:58,167 --> 00:14:00,708
My partner was 19 and I was 20.
321
00:14:00,741 --> 00:14:02,414
(tense music continues)
322
00:14:02,447 --> 00:14:03,717
We were really shocked.
323
00:14:05,590 --> 00:14:08,565
We didn't think it was
unreasonable to go to the church
324
00:14:08,599 --> 00:14:10,738
and say, "We need
help, we need support."
325
00:14:10,771 --> 00:14:12,444
(tense music continues)
326
00:14:12,477 --> 00:14:15,886
But unfortunately, we
couldn't have been more wrong.
327
00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,166
(tense music continues)
328
00:14:20,201 --> 00:14:23,109
The youth pastor approached
us and said to us,
329
00:14:23,142 --> 00:14:27,489
"The next step for you is to
stand up in front of your peers
330
00:14:27,522 --> 00:14:29,662
and apologize for
what you've done."
331
00:14:29,695 --> 00:14:32,068
(eerie music)
332
00:14:33,807 --> 00:14:37,919
I can't even begin to
describe the shock,
333
00:14:39,123 --> 00:14:42,967
the trauma, the
embarrassment, the shame
334
00:14:43,001 --> 00:14:44,606
that we went through
in that moment.
335
00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:46,144
(eerie music continues)
336
00:14:46,178 --> 00:14:51,058
The look on people's
faces, their shock,
337
00:14:52,731 --> 00:14:53,333
their sense of embarrassment.
(eerie music continues)
338
00:14:53,367 --> 00:14:55,004
Nobody knew where to look.
339
00:14:56,542 --> 00:14:57,946
They couldn't look
at us in the eye.
340
00:14:57,979 --> 00:15:01,123
(eerie music continues)
341
00:15:13,024 --> 00:15:15,766
(eerie music continues)
342
00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,106
- This is something that I've
only started thinking about
343
00:15:18,140 --> 00:15:19,645
in the last few years,
344
00:15:20,948 --> 00:15:24,226
is the cost of what
was taken from me
345
00:15:24,259 --> 00:15:28,939
in terms of this being
my very first pregnancy,
346
00:15:28,972 --> 00:15:32,115
my very first child.
(eerie music continues)
347
00:15:32,149 --> 00:15:33,887
I was ashamed to be pregnant.
348
00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:35,960
(eerie music continues)
349
00:15:35,993 --> 00:15:37,332
All the emotional stuff
350
00:15:37,365 --> 00:15:39,872
that we went through
made me physically sick.
351
00:15:39,905 --> 00:15:42,847
I was physically sick
throughout my whole pregnancy.
352
00:15:43,950 --> 00:15:47,093
(eerie music continues)
353
00:15:47,126 --> 00:15:50,638
Like, gravely ill.
354
00:15:50,671 --> 00:15:53,246
(eerie music continues)
355
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,820
All we had was this
church environment,
356
00:15:55,853 --> 00:15:59,062
and here they were now
treating us like pariahs.
357
00:15:59,095 --> 00:16:02,273
(eerie music continues)
358
00:16:18,455 --> 00:16:19,791
- Wow.
359
00:16:19,825 --> 00:16:22,433
Well, to put a person
up on a platform
360
00:16:22,467 --> 00:16:25,209
and shame them, and
it was in our church?
361
00:16:25,242 --> 00:16:26,345
- Mm-hm.
- Wow.
362
00:16:26,379 --> 00:16:28,818
(eerie music continues)
363
00:16:28,852 --> 00:16:30,257
Blatantly wrong.
364
00:16:30,291 --> 00:16:32,931
And if I was
responsible for that,
365
00:16:32,964 --> 00:16:35,773
which as the senior
pastor, I am,
366
00:16:35,806 --> 00:16:37,879
then I was totally out
of order, totally wrong.
367
00:16:40,118 --> 00:16:42,927
Jesus said, leave the
99 and go after the one.
368
00:16:44,833 --> 00:16:48,042
But when I started our
church, I have to confess,
369
00:16:49,448 --> 00:16:52,088
I saw crowds, I didn't
see individuals.
370
00:16:52,121 --> 00:16:53,226
(eerie music continues)
371
00:16:53,260 --> 00:16:54,329
We have a lot to answer for.
372
00:16:56,535 --> 00:16:58,139
A lot to answer for.
373
00:16:58,172 --> 00:17:01,250
(eerie music continues)
374
00:17:01,284 --> 00:17:04,124
- As far as a sense of holiness,
375
00:17:04,157 --> 00:17:09,005
a sense of accountability
to people's internal life,
376
00:17:10,511 --> 00:17:14,020
it was about counting
numbers and counting money.
377
00:17:14,054 --> 00:17:15,259
(eerie music continues)
378
00:17:15,292 --> 00:17:19,169
I always felt that
Brian was out to prove
379
00:17:19,203 --> 00:17:22,447
that he could go one
further than his father.
380
00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,889
(eerie music continues)
381
00:17:25,923 --> 00:17:28,365
(car rumbling)
382
00:17:29,267 --> 00:17:32,174
(tense music)
383
00:17:32,209 --> 00:17:35,050
- Brian Houston's
father, Frank Houston,
384
00:17:35,083 --> 00:17:38,092
had this very mundane life.
385
00:17:38,126 --> 00:17:39,564
(tense music continues)
386
00:17:39,598 --> 00:17:41,837
It was hard for him
to make a living.
387
00:17:41,871 --> 00:17:43,843
There wasn't much
money coming in.
388
00:17:43,877 --> 00:17:47,086
And he meets this
Pentecostal preacher,
389
00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,431
a real fire-and-brimstone
charismatic-style preacher,
390
00:17:50,464 --> 00:17:52,001
and something just
clicked with him.
391
00:17:52,034 --> 00:17:53,373
(tense music continues)
392
00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:57,919
He could be the living
embodiment of God on the stage,
393
00:17:57,952 --> 00:17:59,424
the Holy Spirit
racing through him
394
00:17:59,458 --> 00:18:01,430
and impassion a crowd of people
395
00:18:01,464 --> 00:18:02,967
who would follow him anywhere,
396
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,439
who would do anything for him.
397
00:18:04,473 --> 00:18:06,345
(tense music continues)
398
00:18:06,378 --> 00:18:07,982
I think, for Frank,
399
00:18:08,015 --> 00:18:10,524
that was everything that
he ever wanted to be.
400
00:18:10,557 --> 00:18:13,097
(tense music continues)
401
00:18:13,131 --> 00:18:15,439
- So Frank started his
career as a minister
402
00:18:15,472 --> 00:18:18,348
at a Salvation Army boys'
home in New Zealand.
403
00:18:18,381 --> 00:18:20,286
(tense music continues)
404
00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:21,924
He left there
405
00:18:21,957 --> 00:18:23,161
and went to a small town
outside of Wellington
406
00:18:23,195 --> 00:18:24,332
called Lower Hutt.
407
00:18:24,366 --> 00:18:26,271
(tense music continues)
408
00:18:26,304 --> 00:18:28,478
Lower Hutt was working class,
409
00:18:28,511 --> 00:18:31,018
the people knew each other well,
410
00:18:31,051 --> 00:18:34,362
and he founded an Assemblies
of God Church there.
411
00:18:34,396 --> 00:18:36,133
(tense music continues)
412
00:18:36,166 --> 00:18:39,611
- My family attended Lower
Hutt Assembly of God Church
413
00:18:39,644 --> 00:18:42,151
for probably 15, 20 years.
(tense music continues)
414
00:18:42,184 --> 00:18:44,559
My father was an elder
at Lower Hutt AOG,
415
00:18:44,593 --> 00:18:47,401
so he was quite friendly
with the Houstons.
416
00:18:47,435 --> 00:18:50,108
(audience applauding)
417
00:18:50,142 --> 00:18:51,514
- Well, good morning, church.
418
00:18:51,547 --> 00:18:52,717
- [Congregation] Good morning.
419
00:18:52,750 --> 00:18:54,556
- How are you today?
Everybody happy?
420
00:18:54,589 --> 00:18:56,261
- [Congregation] Yes!
421
00:18:56,294 --> 00:18:57,532
- Assemblies of God at the
time that Frank Houston
422
00:18:57,565 --> 00:19:00,774
became involved was not
a large church movement
423
00:19:00,807 --> 00:19:05,254
in New Zealand, but
Frank Houston wanted
the church to grow,
424
00:19:05,288 --> 00:19:07,327
and he was really
good at this, too.
425
00:19:07,361 --> 00:19:09,734
(bright music)
426
00:19:09,768 --> 00:19:12,041
From that humble beginning
427
00:19:12,074 --> 00:19:15,183
of just a handful of
congregations across the country
428
00:19:15,218 --> 00:19:17,290
to there being about
700 congregations
429
00:19:17,324 --> 00:19:20,031
across the country, it grew.
430
00:19:20,065 --> 00:19:22,707
(congregants clapping)
(bright music continues)
431
00:19:22,740 --> 00:19:26,518
And so when it came
to appointing a leader
432
00:19:26,552 --> 00:19:28,357
of that church community,
433
00:19:28,391 --> 00:19:29,828
Frank Houston was
there and ready for it.
434
00:19:29,861 --> 00:19:31,700
(bright music continues)
435
00:19:31,734 --> 00:19:34,809
There were church elders
in Assemblies of God,
436
00:19:34,843 --> 00:19:37,852
and they had degrees of
influence themselves,
437
00:19:37,885 --> 00:19:41,296
but Frank Houston
didn't want that.
438
00:19:41,329 --> 00:19:44,103
- Instead of voting
for board members,
439
00:19:44,137 --> 00:19:46,845
he took that apart
and basically said,
440
00:19:46,879 --> 00:19:48,718
I'm gonna handpick
the board members.
441
00:19:48,751 --> 00:19:49,487
I am the leader.
(bright music continues)
442
00:19:49,521 --> 00:19:52,262
- Matthew 5:1-12.
443
00:19:53,332 --> 00:19:55,304
- He was a very forceful person,
444
00:19:55,338 --> 00:19:59,283
and someone who you never
ever wanted to argue with.
445
00:19:59,316 --> 00:20:03,630
- He would throw things at
people like cushions and water.
446
00:20:03,663 --> 00:20:07,172
I just remember being
very fearful in church.
447
00:20:08,778 --> 00:20:11,854
I think when we heard, oh,
don't be alone with Frank,
448
00:20:11,887 --> 00:20:14,529
it was always a bit of a
joke because it was like,
449
00:20:14,562 --> 00:20:16,200
well, why wouldn't
you be alone with him?
450
00:20:16,234 --> 00:20:19,175
You wanted to hang with God.
(bright music continues)
451
00:20:19,209 --> 00:20:20,580
- [Alex] Frank Houston practiced
452
00:20:20,614 --> 00:20:22,787
an oppressive style
of leadership.
453
00:20:22,820 --> 00:20:25,462
He shamed people,
he humiliated them.
454
00:20:25,495 --> 00:20:26,899
(bright music continues)
455
00:20:26,932 --> 00:20:29,708
- But it's not only Frank,
because Brian Houston,
456
00:20:29,741 --> 00:20:31,580
he goes out on his
own and he starts
457
00:20:31,613 --> 00:20:33,653
his own congregation up.
(bright music continues)
458
00:20:33,686 --> 00:20:35,959
- [Alex] What he
does is really mimic
459
00:20:35,992 --> 00:20:37,832
the leadership structure
460
00:20:37,865 --> 00:20:40,507
that Frank had installed
at his own church.
461
00:20:40,540 --> 00:20:41,510
(bright music continues)
462
00:20:41,543 --> 00:20:44,218
- There's really
interesting parallels there.
463
00:20:44,251 --> 00:20:47,260
All the power in the church
centers on its leader.
464
00:20:47,293 --> 00:20:49,501
Frank Houston had no one
465
00:20:49,534 --> 00:20:50,737
that would stop him
or question him.
466
00:20:50,771 --> 00:20:53,846
I can't see that at
Hillsong, either.
467
00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:55,752
The accountabilities,
the safety nets,
468
00:20:55,786 --> 00:20:57,491
they seemed absent in both.
469
00:21:01,570 --> 00:21:02,973
(no audio)
470
00:21:03,007 --> 00:21:04,512
- [Director] Was there
ever any rumors about Frank
471
00:21:04,546 --> 00:21:05,782
back in those times?
- Rumors?
472
00:21:08,991 --> 00:21:13,305
I think there were
question marks.
473
00:21:13,338 --> 00:21:13,840
But,
474
00:21:16,079 --> 00:21:20,694
well, he just seemed
to be always surrounded
475
00:21:20,727 --> 00:21:25,509
with young men.
(ominous music)
476
00:21:25,542 --> 00:21:27,715
(children chattering)
(ominous music continues)
477
00:21:27,748 --> 00:21:32,496
- Frank Houston's influence in
the Assemblies of God Church
478
00:21:32,530 --> 00:21:34,702
grew out throughout the country.
479
00:21:34,736 --> 00:21:36,407
(water whooshing)
480
00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,884
He often talked about the
church that he'd dreamt of.
481
00:21:39,918 --> 00:21:40,954
(ominous music continues)
482
00:21:40,987 --> 00:21:43,361
You could sense
that inside of him
483
00:21:43,395 --> 00:21:46,036
was a passion to build a church
484
00:21:46,069 --> 00:21:48,443
in Australia, too.
(ominous music continues)
485
00:21:48,476 --> 00:21:50,550
(traffic whooshing)
486
00:21:50,584 --> 00:21:52,723
- Oh, everybody thought that
Frank going to Australia
487
00:21:52,756 --> 00:21:54,963
was the greatest thing
that ever happened.
488
00:21:54,996 --> 00:21:56,400
It was the call of God.
(ominous music continues)
489
00:21:56,434 --> 00:21:58,574
He had to go. He
didn't have a choice.
490
00:21:58,608 --> 00:22:00,111
Frank had a vision.
491
00:22:00,144 --> 00:22:01,850
(ominous music continues)
(waves whooshing)
492
00:22:01,884 --> 00:22:03,956
Later on, we find out
that there was rumblings
493
00:22:03,990 --> 00:22:06,029
in the undergrowth,
and Frank ran.
494
00:22:06,062 --> 00:22:08,092
(ominous music continues)
495
00:22:12,850 --> 00:22:15,524
(somber music)
496
00:22:18,279 --> 00:22:19,292
- [David] Sometimes
there are moments
497
00:22:19,325 --> 00:22:21,298
in politics that surprise you.
(somber music continues)
498
00:22:21,331 --> 00:22:24,507
- Do we need a royal
commission? By hell we do.
499
00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:27,550
(audience applauding)
500
00:22:27,583 --> 00:22:31,261
- When finally the
announcement was made
501
00:22:31,294 --> 00:22:33,467
two years after that
town hall meeting,
502
00:22:33,500 --> 00:22:35,473
(somber music continues)
503
00:22:35,506 --> 00:22:37,479
I really couldn't
believe it had happened.
504
00:22:39,051 --> 00:22:43,330
- Okay, everybody's ready?
(tense music)
505
00:22:45,069 --> 00:22:46,272
I'm here to announce that
I will be recommending
506
00:22:46,306 --> 00:22:49,583
to the governor-general that a
royal commission be appointed
507
00:22:49,616 --> 00:22:52,925
to inquire into
institutional responses
508
00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,539
to instances and allegations
of child abuse in Australia.
509
00:22:57,573 --> 00:22:58,576
(tense music continues)
510
00:22:58,610 --> 00:23:00,481
- The phone just
started ringing,
511
00:23:00,515 --> 00:23:03,323
and there was survivor after
survivor after survivor
512
00:23:03,357 --> 00:23:08,072
calling in tears saying, "I
can't believe it's happened."
513
00:23:08,105 --> 00:23:10,378
This was it, this was the chance
514
00:23:10,411 --> 00:23:13,387
to finally hold any institution
515
00:23:13,420 --> 00:23:15,561
that had abused kids to account.
516
00:23:15,594 --> 00:23:17,232
(tense music continues)
517
00:23:17,265 --> 00:23:19,271
What was happening in
Australia was a microcosm
518
00:23:19,305 --> 00:23:22,548
of what we saw happening
around the rest of the planet.
519
00:23:22,582 --> 00:23:25,423
- Devastating detail
how the past leadership
520
00:23:25,456 --> 00:23:27,496
of the Southern
Baptist Convention
521
00:23:27,529 --> 00:23:30,037
ignored sexual abuse allegations
522
00:23:30,071 --> 00:23:32,177
for the better part
of two decades.
523
00:23:32,210 --> 00:23:34,651
- Thousands of former
Boy Scout volunteers
524
00:23:34,684 --> 00:23:39,131
accused of sexually abusing
children between 1944 and 2016.
525
00:23:39,165 --> 00:23:41,304
- For more than 150
years, an old system
526
00:23:41,337 --> 00:23:42,575
of boarding schools.
527
00:23:42,608 --> 00:23:44,280
- [Reporter] Which
priests were known
528
00:23:44,313 --> 00:23:45,316
to be the abusive priests?
(tense music continues)
529
00:23:45,349 --> 00:23:47,924
- This was a global failure.
530
00:23:47,957 --> 00:23:51,468
It felt like the moment had
arrived around the world.
531
00:23:52,738 --> 00:23:56,316
So much of the story
up to that point
532
00:23:56,349 --> 00:23:58,222
had been about the
Catholic Church,
533
00:23:58,255 --> 00:23:59,993
and there's a reason for that.
534
00:24:00,027 --> 00:24:02,635
It's the most dominant
church in Australia.
535
00:24:02,668 --> 00:24:04,340
And then eventually,
536
00:24:04,373 --> 00:24:07,349
we had survivors and
victims of Hillsong.
537
00:24:07,382 --> 00:24:10,592
(tense music continues)
538
00:24:10,626 --> 00:24:13,033
- One of the most notable
voices was an Australian man
539
00:24:13,066 --> 00:24:15,540
who was identified
by the initials AHA.
540
00:24:17,145 --> 00:24:18,015
- I call AHA.
541
00:24:20,756 --> 00:24:24,133
Mr. AHA, I wonder if you could
542
00:24:25,704 --> 00:24:28,278
please read your statement
out to the Royal Commission.
543
00:24:28,312 --> 00:24:30,218
- [AHA] I'll do my best.
544
00:24:30,251 --> 00:24:32,157
(ominous music)
545
00:24:32,190 --> 00:24:35,767
In January 1970, I
recall that Pastor Frank
546
00:24:35,801 --> 00:24:39,646
and his son, Brian, stayed with
us for almost a whole week.
547
00:24:39,679 --> 00:24:41,585
I'm aware of the date
548
00:24:41,619 --> 00:24:44,661
because Pastor Frank signed
and dated my mother's bible.
549
00:24:45,731 --> 00:24:48,673
(ominous music continues)
550
00:24:48,706 --> 00:24:53,353
- My wife told me about the
Australian royal commission,
551
00:24:54,223 --> 00:24:57,432
and I had no idea
552
00:24:57,465 --> 00:24:59,371
about what it was all about.
553
00:24:59,405 --> 00:25:00,676
- [Beckett] Mr.
AHA, could you read
554
00:25:00,709 --> 00:25:03,483
the entry for 5th of November?
555
00:25:03,517 --> 00:25:05,122
- I listened very intently
556
00:25:05,156 --> 00:25:07,663
and downloaded all the
documents associated with it,
557
00:25:07,697 --> 00:25:11,341
and started to really,
really get into it
558
00:25:11,374 --> 00:25:14,416
and understand what had happened
and what it was all about.
559
00:25:14,450 --> 00:25:17,693
- [AHA] Pastor Frank would creep
into my room late at night,
560
00:25:17,727 --> 00:25:19,899
and then I would wake up
with him standing over me.
561
00:25:19,933 --> 00:25:21,739
(ominous music continues)
562
00:25:21,772 --> 00:25:24,614
He was touching me
inappropriately.
563
00:25:24,648 --> 00:25:27,556
I would be petrified and
would lay very still.
564
00:25:28,793 --> 00:25:30,599
I could not speak while
this was happening
565
00:25:30,632 --> 00:25:32,270
and felt like I
couldn't breathe.
566
00:25:32,304 --> 00:25:33,741
(ominous music continues)
567
00:25:33,775 --> 00:25:35,881
I'm not sure how long he would
stay in the room with me,
568
00:25:35,914 --> 00:25:37,319
but it felt like forever.
569
00:25:37,352 --> 00:25:39,191
(ominous music continues)
570
00:25:39,224 --> 00:25:40,929
- This is exactly
what happened to me.
571
00:25:40,962 --> 00:25:44,506
(ominous music continues)
572
00:25:44,540 --> 00:25:46,245
When I was eight years old,
573
00:25:46,279 --> 00:25:48,920
my parents started holding
a Bible study in our home.
574
00:25:48,953 --> 00:25:50,491
(ominous music continues)
575
00:25:50,524 --> 00:25:52,698
Frank would come for
a meal beforehand,
576
00:25:52,732 --> 00:25:55,406
and then us kids
would be sent to bed.
577
00:25:55,439 --> 00:25:58,783
(ominous music continues)
578
00:26:00,689 --> 00:26:02,260
This thing came into my bedroom
579
00:26:02,293 --> 00:26:04,667
that I called the black shadow.
580
00:26:04,701 --> 00:26:08,478
And I would sense
it there first,
581
00:26:08,512 --> 00:26:10,919
and then I'd feel its
weight on top of me
582
00:26:10,952 --> 00:26:13,728
and I'd feel breath on my face.
583
00:26:16,001 --> 00:26:17,405
(ominous music continues)
And I was
584
00:26:24,594 --> 00:26:25,496
fondled.
585
00:26:25,529 --> 00:26:28,806
(ominous music continues)
586
00:26:33,588 --> 00:26:36,730
I always had a suspicion
that something had happened,
587
00:26:36,764 --> 00:26:38,235
that it was Frank, that it was
588
00:26:39,806 --> 00:26:42,380
that sexual interaction that
happened when I was young,
589
00:26:42,413 --> 00:26:43,316
when I was eight,
590
00:26:43,350 --> 00:26:45,422
but I didn't really know.
591
00:26:45,456 --> 00:26:47,362
I didn't really know
for a long, long time.
592
00:26:47,395 --> 00:26:48,866
(ominous music continues)
593
00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:52,745
But when I read the Australian
royal commission testimony,
594
00:26:52,778 --> 00:26:57,626
that was the moment when I
knew without a shadow of doubt
595
00:26:57,660 --> 00:27:00,735
that the black shadow
was Frank Houston.
596
00:27:00,769 --> 00:27:04,346
(ominous music continues)
597
00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:10,331
- [AHA] I was so
ashamed of the abuse
598
00:27:10,364 --> 00:27:11,969
that I kept it
inside for many years
599
00:27:12,002 --> 00:27:15,111
and did not tell anyone.
(ominous music continues)
600
00:27:15,144 --> 00:27:19,458
It was only on or about 1978
when I was about 16 years old
601
00:27:19,491 --> 00:27:22,601
that I told my mother
about the abuse.
602
00:27:22,635 --> 00:27:24,406
My mother was still
heavily involved
603
00:27:24,439 --> 00:27:25,610
in the church at that time.
604
00:27:26,947 --> 00:27:29,153
All of her friends were
involved in the church,
605
00:27:29,186 --> 00:27:30,859
and the Houstons were considered
606
00:27:30,892 --> 00:27:33,701
to be almost like
royalty in those circles.
607
00:27:33,734 --> 00:27:34,704
(ominous music continues)
608
00:27:34,737 --> 00:27:36,810
After I told her
about the abuse,
609
00:27:38,113 --> 00:27:41,022
my mother said words to
the following effect.
610
00:27:41,056 --> 00:27:43,698
"You don't want to be
responsible for turning people
611
00:27:43,731 --> 00:27:45,904
from the church and
sending them to hell."
612
00:27:45,937 --> 00:27:50,819
(ominous music continues)
(fire crackling)
613
00:27:51,822 --> 00:27:53,928
- I told my parents about it,
614
00:27:53,961 --> 00:27:56,067
and they thought
it was a nightmare.
615
00:27:56,101 --> 00:27:59,879
They were so naive and
so enamored about Frank
616
00:27:59,912 --> 00:28:02,185
that that was not
even on their radar.
617
00:28:02,219 --> 00:28:03,624
(ominous music continues)
618
00:28:03,658 --> 00:28:06,566
And I remember taking
a piece of wood to bed,
619
00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,906
a four by two, so I
could bang on the wall
620
00:28:08,939 --> 00:28:11,715
when the black shadow came
so they could hear me.
621
00:28:11,748 --> 00:28:14,155
(ominous music continues)
622
00:28:14,188 --> 00:28:18,167
And it happened
623
00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:19,471
quite a few times.
624
00:28:19,504 --> 00:28:22,881
(ominous music continues)
625
00:28:24,854 --> 00:28:28,933
This is a photograph
of me taken in 1962.
626
00:28:28,966 --> 00:28:30,236
I was eight years old.
627
00:28:30,270 --> 00:28:33,045
(ominous music continues)
628
00:28:33,078 --> 00:28:36,154
The boy in this picture is a boy
629
00:28:36,187 --> 00:28:37,124
that had already
630
00:28:39,966 --> 00:28:43,744
encountered childhood
sexual abuse.
631
00:28:43,778 --> 00:28:47,120
(ominous music continues)
632
00:28:48,626 --> 00:28:50,799
I didn't really
have any friends.
633
00:28:52,771 --> 00:28:56,583
It would be unlikely
that anything I said
would be believed.
634
00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:09,321
(somber music)
(traffic whooshing)
635
00:29:12,162 --> 00:29:15,204
(heartbeat thudding)
636
00:29:15,238 --> 00:29:18,213
- I'd been reading
survivor blogs.
637
00:29:18,247 --> 00:29:20,722
One of the things
that I came across
638
00:29:20,755 --> 00:29:23,095
that I really
wasn't expecting to
639
00:29:23,128 --> 00:29:26,673
was just how much
conservative Evangelicals
640
00:29:26,706 --> 00:29:28,043
emphasized authority.
641
00:29:29,381 --> 00:29:31,286
You show your obedience to God
642
00:29:31,319 --> 00:29:35,031
by being faithful and
submissive to people
643
00:29:35,064 --> 00:29:37,204
that God has placed
in charge of you.
644
00:29:37,237 --> 00:29:39,043
(tense music)
645
00:29:39,076 --> 00:29:43,055
They set people up for
abuse of leadership.
646
00:29:45,261 --> 00:29:47,836
And when I listened to
the voices of survivors,
647
00:29:47,870 --> 00:29:50,812
members of their own
communities, their own churches,
648
00:29:50,845 --> 00:29:55,291
sometimes even
their own families
questioned their stories
649
00:29:56,796 --> 00:29:59,772
in order to continue to
protect the ministry.
650
00:29:59,805 --> 00:30:03,851
(tense music continues)
651
00:30:03,884 --> 00:30:05,422
- There was a
number of young boys
652
00:30:05,455 --> 00:30:10,036
who said things
about Frank Houston,
653
00:30:11,339 --> 00:30:14,248
criticism of him in
a way that resulted
654
00:30:14,281 --> 00:30:16,054
in them either being
thrown out of the church
655
00:30:16,087 --> 00:30:19,966
or being ostracized
by leadership.
656
00:30:19,999 --> 00:30:21,805
(tense music continues)
657
00:30:21,838 --> 00:30:25,984
There was an occasion
where one young man came in
658
00:30:26,017 --> 00:30:28,959
and said Frank Houston had been
doing physical things to him
659
00:30:28,993 --> 00:30:31,299
that he didn't like
660
00:30:31,332 --> 00:30:33,774
and accused him in front of
one of the other pastors.
661
00:30:33,807 --> 00:30:35,445
The other pastor actually
physically punched
662
00:30:35,479 --> 00:30:37,986
this kid in the face and said,
663
00:30:38,020 --> 00:30:41,296
"Don't you ever, ever talk
about our pastor like that."
664
00:30:41,329 --> 00:30:44,974
(tense music continues)
665
00:30:45,007 --> 00:30:46,980
- Nobody came forward
to the police,
666
00:30:48,050 --> 00:30:51,192
a
nd I think that says a lot
about his hold on the police.
667
00:30:51,225 --> 00:30:52,362
(tense music continues)
668
00:30:52,395 --> 00:30:55,840
Any accounts of abuse most
certainly would've been squashed
669
00:30:55,873 --> 00:30:59,819
by Frank and the people
that he sort of lorded over
670
00:30:59,852 --> 00:31:01,457
at the AOG.
(tense music continues)
671
00:31:01,490 --> 00:31:03,463
You know, we're gonna
keep this in the church.
672
00:31:06,170 --> 00:31:09,982
- The motivation to keep Frank
Houston's offending quiet
673
00:31:10,016 --> 00:31:12,022
would've been huge.
(tense music continues)
674
00:31:12,055 --> 00:31:14,094
For New Zealand
Assemblies of God,
675
00:31:14,128 --> 00:31:17,471
they were protecting something
that was all about the past.
676
00:31:18,474 --> 00:31:20,212
For Australia Assemblies of God,
677
00:31:20,246 --> 00:31:22,318
they were protecting the future,
678
00:31:22,352 --> 00:31:24,358
and that future was huge.
679
00:31:24,391 --> 00:31:27,602
(tense music continues)
680
00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:30,878
(keyboard clacking)
681
00:31:30,912 --> 00:31:35,358
I started looking into Frank
Houston and Assemblies of God
682
00:31:36,629 --> 00:31:37,833
as a result of the
Australian commission.
683
00:31:39,370 --> 00:31:42,412
There were documents that
were put into evidence
684
00:31:42,445 --> 00:31:44,351
that spoke of things
happening in New Zealand
685
00:31:44,385 --> 00:31:46,290
that had never
been written about.
686
00:31:46,324 --> 00:31:47,360
(tense music continues)
687
00:31:47,394 --> 00:31:49,333
When Frank left in '75,
688
00:31:49,366 --> 00:31:53,680
he left behind decades of sexual
violence against children.
689
00:31:53,714 --> 00:31:55,987
(tense music continues)
690
00:31:56,020 --> 00:31:57,323
I thought I'd messed up
691
00:31:57,357 --> 00:31:59,062
the way I was searching
our news archives
692
00:31:59,096 --> 00:32:02,238
because I couldn't find
anything about Frank Houston.
693
00:32:02,272 --> 00:32:03,944
(tense music continues)
694
00:32:03,977 --> 00:32:06,653
It was really alarming.
(tense music continues)
695
00:32:06,686 --> 00:32:10,129
As it turned out, it hadn't
really been written about.
696
00:32:12,435 --> 00:32:16,481
There was a vacuum, and so
that's what I sought to fill.
697
00:32:16,515 --> 00:32:19,323
(tense music continues)
698
00:32:19,356 --> 00:32:22,365
- When I go back and look
at the timeline of events,
699
00:32:23,201 --> 00:32:25,007
it's almost surreal.
700
00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:27,649
(eerie music)
701
00:32:27,682 --> 00:32:30,156
I was raised in Hillsong
culture of forgive and forget,
702
00:32:30,189 --> 00:32:32,262
move on, judge not,
703
00:32:33,567 --> 00:32:35,404
for he who hasn't sinned
cast the first stone.
704
00:32:36,709 --> 00:32:39,483
And the more I've
learned about Frank,
705
00:32:39,517 --> 00:32:42,158
I'm realizing something
is so wrong here.
706
00:32:42,192 --> 00:32:43,697
(eerie music continues)
707
00:32:43,730 --> 00:32:45,703
I feel the responsibility
as a Christian to stand up
708
00:32:45,736 --> 00:32:47,609
and actually start speaking
out against the abuse.
709
00:32:47,642 --> 00:32:51,052
(eerie music continues)
710
00:32:52,355 --> 00:32:54,361
The Royal Commission
shed light on the fact
711
00:32:54,394 --> 00:32:57,370
that Hillsong was not honest
to their own congregants.
712
00:32:57,403 --> 00:32:58,675
(eerie music continues)
713
00:32:58,709 --> 00:33:01,584
It really helped start
me on a trajectory going,
714
00:33:01,618 --> 00:33:03,154
what else are they
not telling us?
715
00:33:03,188 --> 00:33:06,530
(eerie music continues)
716
00:33:06,566 --> 00:33:08,572
(water whooshing)
717
00:33:08,605 --> 00:33:10,409
- Trouble starts
for Frank and Brian
718
00:33:10,442 --> 00:33:12,415
really in November of 1998.
719
00:33:12,448 --> 00:33:14,488
(tense music)
720
00:33:14,521 --> 00:33:18,433
When AHA was a teenager, he
told his mother about the abuse,
721
00:33:18,466 --> 00:33:20,575
and she refused to believe him.
722
00:33:20,608 --> 00:33:22,312
And then, 20 years later,
723
00:33:22,345 --> 00:33:25,623
she reported the abuse
to an AOG pastor.
724
00:33:25,656 --> 00:33:26,558
- [AHA] My mother
called me and told me
725
00:33:26,593 --> 00:33:28,799
she had a conversation
with Pastor Mumford
726
00:33:28,832 --> 00:33:31,674
and told him that I had
been sexually abused
727
00:33:31,708 --> 00:33:34,114
by Pastor Frank.
(tense music continues)
728
00:33:34,147 --> 00:33:36,623
Both Pastor Taylor and
Pastor Mumford questioned me
729
00:33:36,656 --> 00:33:39,129
about the allegations
I had made.
730
00:33:39,162 --> 00:33:41,804
They tried to tell me that
what I was saying was not true,
731
00:33:41,838 --> 00:33:44,311
and they both said words
to the following effect.
732
00:33:44,344 --> 00:33:47,253
"Frank Houston couldn't have
done that, he's a good man."
733
00:33:47,287 --> 00:33:50,129
(tense music continues)
734
00:33:50,162 --> 00:33:54,241
- Frank first becomes aware
of the accusation that month.
735
00:33:54,274 --> 00:33:55,913
And instead of doing
anything about it,
736
00:33:55,946 --> 00:33:58,153
Frank decides he's
going to take a holiday.
737
00:33:58,186 --> 00:33:59,189
(children laughing)
(waves whooshing)
738
00:33:59,222 --> 00:34:01,462
In fact, he goes
on two holidays.
739
00:34:01,495 --> 00:34:04,471
Then in the first
week of May, 1999,
740
00:34:04,504 --> 00:34:08,852
Frank unexpectedly and very
suddenly gives the keys
741
00:34:08,885 --> 00:34:11,560
to his church to his
son, Brian Houston.
742
00:34:12,864 --> 00:34:15,873
AHA becomes fed up and
really doesn't think
743
00:34:15,906 --> 00:34:17,343
that anybody in the
church community
744
00:34:17,377 --> 00:34:19,618
is going to believe him
or take him seriously,
745
00:34:19,651 --> 00:34:22,191
so he tells an AOG pastor
746
00:34:22,225 --> 00:34:25,367
that he's considering
going to the authorities.
747
00:34:25,401 --> 00:34:27,273
(tense music continues)
748
00:34:27,306 --> 00:34:28,945
That's when things start
to happen pretty quickly.
749
00:34:28,979 --> 00:34:31,218
(tense music continues)
750
00:34:31,252 --> 00:34:34,930
That same week, Brian
Houston calls his father
751
00:34:34,963 --> 00:34:36,601
into his office
752
00:34:36,636 --> 00:34:39,645
and learns about the case
officially for the first time.
753
00:34:39,678 --> 00:34:41,415
Now, there are no
minutes from the meeting.
754
00:34:41,449 --> 00:34:42,821
There are no notes
from the meeting.
755
00:34:42,854 --> 00:34:44,391
There were no witnesses
to the meeting.
756
00:34:44,424 --> 00:34:45,896
(tense music continues)
757
00:34:45,930 --> 00:34:47,902
- It was the worst
meeting I ever had.
758
00:34:47,936 --> 00:34:48,738
I confronted him.
759
00:34:50,042 --> 00:34:51,948
He went extremely
dry in the mouth
760
00:34:51,981 --> 00:34:55,491
and said, "Yes, these
things did happen."
761
00:34:55,524 --> 00:34:56,996
- [Beckett] Well, I'll
just to stop you there,
762
00:34:57,029 --> 00:34:58,935
because that's the point
I wanted to ask you about.
763
00:34:58,969 --> 00:35:01,643
What did he actually confess to?
764
00:35:03,683 --> 00:35:04,686
- He confessed essentially
to fondling genitals.
765
00:35:08,429 --> 00:35:11,438
- [Beckett] All right,
of one or more children?
766
00:35:11,472 --> 00:35:12,609
(tense music continues)
767
00:35:12,643 --> 00:35:14,649
- We were only talking
about that one.
768
00:35:14,683 --> 00:35:18,059
At that time, he told me that
it was a one-off occasion.
769
00:35:18,092 --> 00:35:18,995
(tense music continues)
770
00:35:19,029 --> 00:35:20,399
- [AHA] The abuse in my home
771
00:35:20,432 --> 00:35:21,871
and at the different
church meetings
772
00:35:21,904 --> 00:35:25,683
continued over a period of
years until I reached puberty.
773
00:35:25,716 --> 00:35:28,624
What Pastor Frank did to
me destroyed my childhood.
774
00:35:29,862 --> 00:35:32,068
The abuse has had
longterm effects on me.
775
00:35:32,101 --> 00:35:33,974
Late in the night, I
still get flashbacks
776
00:35:34,007 --> 00:35:35,779
of Pastor Frank in my bedroom
777
00:35:35,813 --> 00:35:38,453
and see his face
floating around me.
778
00:35:38,486 --> 00:35:41,395
I have difficulties being in
the presence of elderly men.
779
00:35:41,428 --> 00:35:43,870
I also have difficulty in
being intimate with my wife.
780
00:35:43,904 --> 00:35:45,575
(tense music continues)
781
00:35:45,608 --> 00:35:47,982
I can't relate to
my own children.
782
00:35:48,016 --> 00:35:49,922
I find it awkward
to hug my own sons
783
00:35:49,955 --> 00:35:51,458
because I don't want
them getting used
784
00:35:51,492 --> 00:35:53,967
to another male hugging them.
(tense music continues)
785
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,644
- [Beckett] Your father
admitted to one act
786
00:35:57,678 --> 00:36:00,519
or act on one occasion, I
think you said a one off.
787
00:36:00,553 --> 00:36:02,124
- No, I think was
one act, one off.
788
00:36:02,158 --> 00:36:05,534
One-off act, I think he said.
(tense music continues)
789
00:36:05,568 --> 00:36:08,109
- Brian Houston's always
said, "That's what I was told.
790
00:36:08,142 --> 00:36:09,079
That's what I believed.
791
00:36:09,112 --> 00:36:11,151
I didn't know anything else."
792
00:36:11,185 --> 00:36:14,796
But Assemblies of God had
access to all the people
793
00:36:14,830 --> 00:36:16,200
and all the records.
(tense music continues)
794
00:36:16,233 --> 00:36:19,745
And if I found all of
these cases of sexual abuse
795
00:36:19,778 --> 00:36:21,917
by Frank Houston without those,
796
00:36:23,622 --> 00:36:25,527
I can't imagine how
many they would find.
797
00:36:26,766 --> 00:36:27,466
(no audio)
798
00:36:30,242 --> 00:36:32,884
(somber music)
799
00:36:38,132 --> 00:36:40,472
As I was looking
through Frank's life
800
00:36:40,505 --> 00:36:42,981
and trying to step
back through the years,
801
00:36:43,014 --> 00:36:45,487
I sought out Salvation Army.
802
00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,093
(somber music continues)
803
00:36:47,126 --> 00:36:51,505
And I said, "I know he was
working at Temuka boys' home.
804
00:36:53,044 --> 00:36:55,886
Was there anything on your files
or anything on your records
805
00:36:55,919 --> 00:36:58,126
that indicated
something untoward?
806
00:36:58,159 --> 00:36:59,563
(somber music continues)
807
00:36:59,597 --> 00:37:03,107
Now, I couldn't believe
it when they came back
808
00:37:03,141 --> 00:37:05,816
and said there was an allegation
809
00:37:05,849 --> 00:37:09,292
of sexual offending against
children by Frank Houston
810
00:37:09,325 --> 00:37:11,098
when he was at
Temuka boys' home.
811
00:37:11,131 --> 00:37:14,642
(somber music continues)
812
00:37:17,751 --> 00:37:20,828
At that point, Frank Houston
would've been in his early 20s.
813
00:37:20,861 --> 00:37:22,298
(somber music continues)
814
00:37:22,331 --> 00:37:23,970
But whatever happened
815
00:37:24,003 --> 00:37:27,815
in the Salvation Army never
seems to be properly addressed.
816
00:37:27,849 --> 00:37:31,125
(somber music continues)
817
00:37:32,294 --> 00:37:34,334
Frank Houston,
throughout his career,
818
00:37:34,367 --> 00:37:35,738
would take his ministry
819
00:37:35,772 --> 00:37:38,680
into the poorer
parts of New Zealand
820
00:37:38,714 --> 00:37:41,790
and across the Pacific to
very poor Pacific islands.
821
00:37:41,824 --> 00:37:43,027
(tense music continues)
822
00:37:43,060 --> 00:37:44,732
- [Frank] It's been my
privilege in my lifetime
823
00:37:44,765 --> 00:37:46,638
to travel around the
world preaching the gospel
824
00:37:46,671 --> 00:37:47,774
in many countries.
825
00:37:48,811 --> 00:37:50,918
And I have actually preached
826
00:37:50,951 --> 00:37:54,695
to the red, the yellow,
the black, and the white.
827
00:37:54,728 --> 00:37:57,303
I've preached to the Maoris
all over New Zealand.
828
00:37:57,336 --> 00:37:58,640
(somber music continues)
829
00:37:58,674 --> 00:38:01,951
(water whooshing)
830
00:38:01,984 --> 00:38:06,296
- I've no doubt whatsoever that
when Frank Houston traveled,
831
00:38:06,330 --> 00:38:08,336
he sought out victims.
832
00:38:08,369 --> 00:38:11,378
(somber music continues)
(keys tapping)
833
00:38:11,411 --> 00:38:13,819
What we know now, looking back,
834
00:38:13,853 --> 00:38:18,032
that period from 1945
through to 1975 is filled
835
00:38:18,065 --> 00:38:22,812
with enough allegations of
sexual violence against children
836
00:38:22,846 --> 00:38:27,727
to conceive of Frank Houston
as a lifelong predator.
837
00:38:29,032 --> 00:38:32,441
We're talking at
the least 30 years
838
00:38:32,474 --> 00:38:34,883
of sexual offending
against children.
839
00:38:34,916 --> 00:38:39,797
(somber music continues)
(keys tapping)
840
00:38:43,507 --> 00:38:46,416
(plane whooshing)
841
00:38:47,854 --> 00:38:48,892
- [Beckett] Let's
move onto the meeting
842
00:38:48,925 --> 00:38:52,769
of special executive on
the 22nd of December, 1999.
843
00:38:52,802 --> 00:38:55,076
You know the meeting
at Sydney Airport
844
00:38:55,110 --> 00:38:56,916
that I'm referring to?
- Yes.
845
00:38:56,949 --> 00:38:59,823
(tense music)
846
00:38:59,857 --> 00:39:04,070
- So in December, 1999, there's
an emergency AOG meeting
847
00:39:04,103 --> 00:39:06,109
in the Qantas Lounge
at Sydney Airport.
848
00:39:06,143 --> 00:39:08,015
(tense music continues)
849
00:39:08,049 --> 00:39:12,094
Brian is there as both the
investigator of the case
850
00:39:12,127 --> 00:39:14,835
and the son of the
accused abuser,
851
00:39:14,868 --> 00:39:16,976
and he's at the helm
of the narrative.
852
00:39:17,009 --> 00:39:17,911
- I told them the story.
853
00:39:17,945 --> 00:39:19,883
I burst into tears, sobbed.
854
00:39:19,918 --> 00:39:21,355
There was no way I could
chair that meeting,
855
00:39:21,388 --> 00:39:24,430
because I was a mess.
(tense music continues)
856
00:39:24,464 --> 00:39:27,272
- The way that Brian
frames these allegations
857
00:39:27,306 --> 00:39:29,546
for the other members of the AOG
858
00:39:29,580 --> 00:39:31,886
is the same way that
Frank framed it for him.
859
00:39:31,919 --> 00:39:34,862
One victim in New
Zealand 35 years ago.
860
00:39:34,895 --> 00:39:37,336
- I told them everything
I knew, I think,
861
00:39:37,369 --> 00:39:39,843
in terms of the fondling,
862
00:39:39,877 --> 00:39:42,351
you know, the nature
of it at that level.
863
00:39:44,993 --> 00:39:48,469
- What's really significant
there is that, at that meeting,
864
00:39:48,502 --> 00:39:51,646
there were 10, 12
leading figures
865
00:39:51,679 --> 00:39:53,250
of Pentecostal
churches in Australia.
866
00:39:53,284 --> 00:39:54,888
(tense music continues)
867
00:39:54,922 --> 00:39:58,099
This group of men who
knew the Houstons well
868
00:39:58,132 --> 00:40:02,411
decided amongst themselves
that what Frank Houston did
869
00:40:02,444 --> 00:40:04,384
was a moral transgression,
870
00:40:04,417 --> 00:40:07,159
not a serious criminal offense.
871
00:40:07,192 --> 00:40:09,198
- So the various times I spoke,
872
00:40:09,232 --> 00:40:11,505
the wording wouldn't have
been exactly the same.
873
00:40:13,043 --> 00:40:15,049
And it's possible that
the weakest of those,
874
00:40:15,083 --> 00:40:18,259
I might've said the
words moral failure.
875
00:40:18,292 --> 00:40:19,930
(tense music continues)
876
00:40:19,963 --> 00:40:22,204
- This wasn't a
spiritual failing.
877
00:40:22,237 --> 00:40:26,985
This was a series of violent
criminal acts against children,
878
00:40:27,019 --> 00:40:28,924
and the church knew
about it and did nothing.
879
00:40:30,161 --> 00:40:32,669
(tense music)
880
00:40:32,702 --> 00:40:35,143
- [Alex] The AOG decides
not to go to the police.
881
00:40:35,176 --> 00:40:36,714
Frank's credentials
are not revoked.
882
00:40:36,747 --> 00:40:38,653
The matter is not
to be made public.
883
00:40:38,687 --> 00:40:40,425
- That's the Hillsong playbook.
884
00:40:40,458 --> 00:40:43,434
If someone complains,
you diminish it.
885
00:40:43,467 --> 00:40:44,303
They're an irritant.
(tense music continues)
886
00:40:44,337 --> 00:40:48,182
Maybe you order a
confidential inquiry.
887
00:40:48,215 --> 00:40:49,586
The information goes no further.
888
00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:52,294
It's held in a small
group of people.
889
00:40:52,327 --> 00:40:55,370
Whoever the victim is has to go.
890
00:40:55,403 --> 00:40:56,406
(tense music continues)
891
00:40:56,439 --> 00:40:58,547
- [AHA] I eventually
agreed to meet Pastor Frank
892
00:40:58,580 --> 00:41:00,586
on or about early 2000.
893
00:41:00,619 --> 00:41:03,360
The meeting was held at
McDonald's restaurant
894
00:41:03,394 --> 00:41:06,403
of Thornleigh just up
Pennant Hills Road.
895
00:41:06,436 --> 00:41:08,108
(tense music continues)
896
00:41:08,142 --> 00:41:12,454
- What did Pastor Frank want
from you during that meeting?
897
00:41:13,792 --> 00:41:14,595
- [AHA] He wanted
me to forgive him.
898
00:41:14,628 --> 00:41:16,132
- [Beckett] You
were asked to sign
899
00:41:16,166 --> 00:41:18,539
a food-stained
napkin, is that right?
900
00:41:18,573 --> 00:41:19,810
- [AHA] Yes.
(tense music continues)
901
00:41:19,843 --> 00:41:21,582
Words were said to
the following effect.
902
00:41:21,616 --> 00:41:25,326
"If you put your
signature there, I'll
give you the 10,000."
903
00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,232
And at that stage, sir,
I just wanna tell you
904
00:41:27,266 --> 00:41:28,637
that I was in a state of panic.
905
00:41:28,670 --> 00:41:30,275
I just scribbled my name on it,
906
00:41:30,308 --> 00:41:33,250
and Frank kept badgering
me about the forgiveness.
907
00:41:33,284 --> 00:41:34,353
(tense music continues)
908
00:41:34,387 --> 00:41:36,092
About two months
after my meeting
909
00:41:36,126 --> 00:41:39,535
with Pastor Frank at McDonald's,
I telephoned Brian Houston
910
00:41:39,570 --> 00:41:43,548
as I had not yet received
any money from Pastor Frank.
911
00:41:43,582 --> 00:41:45,654
We had a conversation
to the following effect.
912
00:41:45,688 --> 00:41:47,392
(tense music continues)
913
00:41:47,426 --> 00:41:50,603
Me, "What's happening with
the payment I was promised?
914
00:41:50,636 --> 00:41:53,143
I agreed to forgive
your father."
915
00:41:53,177 --> 00:41:57,624
Brian, "Yes, okay, I'll
get the money to you.
916
00:41:57,657 --> 00:42:00,531
There's no problem.
(tense music continues)
917
00:42:00,566 --> 00:42:03,474
You know, it's your fault
all of this happened.
918
00:42:03,507 --> 00:42:04,778
You tempted my father."
919
00:42:04,811 --> 00:42:09,158
(tense music continues)
920
00:42:09,191 --> 00:42:11,699
- Shortly after
the $10,000 payout,
921
00:42:11,732 --> 00:42:13,137
Brian Houston really starts
922
00:42:13,170 --> 00:42:16,179
with a pretty vigorous
rebranding effort.
923
00:42:16,212 --> 00:42:17,583
- It's a church
growing so quickly
924
00:42:17,617 --> 00:42:20,626
that buildings struggle
to contain the increase.
925
00:42:20,659 --> 00:42:23,233
- Christian Life Centre
is renamed Hillsong,
926
00:42:23,267 --> 00:42:25,708
and the Assemblies
of God is relabeled
927
00:42:25,741 --> 00:42:27,814
as the Australian
Christian Churches.
928
00:42:27,847 --> 00:42:29,285
(tense music continues)
929
00:42:29,318 --> 00:42:31,625
Brian has really done
everything he can
930
00:42:31,659 --> 00:42:33,464
to really kind of
parse his words
931
00:42:33,497 --> 00:42:36,272
and manipulate, you
know, meaning and syntax
932
00:42:36,306 --> 00:42:39,883
to say the abuse didn't
happen at Hillsong,
933
00:42:39,916 --> 00:42:41,756
it happened at
Christian Life Centres.
934
00:42:41,789 --> 00:42:44,598
And it's sort of
apropos of nothing.
935
00:42:47,472 --> 00:42:49,980
- When these things happened,
Hillsong didn't exist at all.
936
00:42:50,013 --> 00:42:51,886
It was long before
Hillsong existed.
937
00:42:51,919 --> 00:42:53,524
This was not about Hillsong.
938
00:42:53,558 --> 00:42:55,697
This was not about the
Australian Assemblies of God.
939
00:42:55,731 --> 00:42:59,743
This payment was
between Frank and AHA.
940
00:43:02,985 --> 00:43:04,089
- [AHA] No one
believed my story,
941
00:43:04,122 --> 00:43:07,499
and others put pressure on
me to keep my mouth shut.
942
00:43:07,532 --> 00:43:10,909
I felt that the
church's response was
completely inadequate,
943
00:43:10,943 --> 00:43:13,585
and I have received
absolutely no support,
944
00:43:13,618 --> 00:43:17,630
no counseling, apology, or
acknowledgement of the abuse.
945
00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:20,505
(eerie music)
946
00:43:20,538 --> 00:43:23,648
- That same year,
2000, at a conference,
947
00:43:23,681 --> 00:43:25,587
Frank Houston is
wheeled out onstage
948
00:43:25,621 --> 00:43:28,563
and the Hillsong pastor
announces, and I'm reading here,
949
00:43:28,596 --> 00:43:31,672
"Here's a great man and
a great apostle of faith.
950
00:43:31,705 --> 00:43:33,443
Let's all stand and honor him."
951
00:43:33,477 --> 00:43:36,720
And the whole congregation
rises to their feet,
952
00:43:36,754 --> 00:43:38,927
and they applaud
Frank Houston wildly.
953
00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:40,531
(eerie music continues)
(congregation clapping)
954
00:43:40,566 --> 00:43:42,805
This is an admitted pedophile.
955
00:43:42,839 --> 00:43:44,443
This is, like, a child rapist.
956
00:43:46,951 --> 00:43:49,893
Like...
(eerie music continues)
957
00:43:49,926 --> 00:43:54,340
By December of 2000, the AOG
New Zealand has allegations
958
00:43:54,373 --> 00:43:57,349
from six alleged
victims of child abuse
959
00:43:57,382 --> 00:43:59,956
at the hands of Frank Houston.
(eerie music continues)
960
00:43:59,990 --> 00:44:01,929
- It's now impossible to ignore,
961
00:44:01,962 --> 00:44:05,373
and so they had to take
action against Frank Houston.
962
00:44:05,406 --> 00:44:08,047
And they quietly
shuffled him sideways
963
00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:10,388
and agreed to not
tell anybody about it.
964
00:44:10,421 --> 00:44:11,892
(eerie music continues)
965
00:44:11,926 --> 00:44:14,132
- From the time these
exposes started coming out
966
00:44:14,165 --> 00:44:17,074
in late 1999 to 2004,
967
00:44:18,512 --> 00:44:20,552
I think probably
because of the stress
968
00:44:20,586 --> 00:44:22,490
and the pain of all of
this and the humiliation,
969
00:44:22,524 --> 00:44:26,101
my father deteriorated
very quickly into dementia.
970
00:44:26,134 --> 00:44:30,013
So month by month, year
by year, he got worse.
971
00:44:30,046 --> 00:44:31,819
(eerie music continues)
972
00:44:31,852 --> 00:44:34,561
- Now, the diagnosis with
dementia is significant
973
00:44:34,594 --> 00:44:36,031
because it means
974
00:44:36,064 --> 00:44:37,870
that Frank can't answer
for any alleged abuses.
975
00:44:37,903 --> 00:44:39,107
(eerie music continues)
976
00:44:39,140 --> 00:44:41,682
Coincidentally, that
diagnosis is provided
977
00:44:41,715 --> 00:44:43,688
by a guy named Dr. Gordon Lee
978
00:44:43,721 --> 00:44:46,697
who served for 22 years as
a board member at Hillsong.
979
00:44:46,730 --> 00:44:49,538
(eerie music continues)
980
00:44:49,572 --> 00:44:51,477
- There was an
extraordinary correspondence
981
00:44:51,511 --> 00:44:52,682
backward and forwards
982
00:44:52,715 --> 00:44:54,185
between the Australian
Assemblies of God
983
00:44:54,218 --> 00:44:56,224
and New Zealand
Assemblies of God
984
00:44:56,259 --> 00:44:59,636
that showed that
they tried to limit
985
00:44:59,669 --> 00:45:01,742
as much as they possibly could
986
00:45:01,775 --> 00:45:04,951
any knowledge of Frank
Houston's sexual offending.
987
00:45:04,985 --> 00:45:09,866
We learned that they
had meetings about
not telling anyone.
988
00:45:10,736 --> 00:45:12,172
(eerie music continues)
989
00:45:12,206 --> 00:45:15,215
They documented how they were
not going to tell anyone.
990
00:45:15,248 --> 00:45:17,288
They wrote a statement
that they then agreed
991
00:45:17,322 --> 00:45:19,562
they were not going
to release to anybody.
992
00:45:19,596 --> 00:45:21,300
(eerie music continues)
993
00:45:21,334 --> 00:45:23,172
It's the Assemblies
of God version
994
00:45:23,205 --> 00:45:24,911
of the Nixon White House tapes.
995
00:45:26,717 --> 00:45:29,993
- Confess your sin to the
Lord and He'll blot it out.
996
00:45:30,026 --> 00:45:32,099
(film reel clicking)
997
00:45:36,111 --> 00:45:39,087
(traffic whooshing)
998
00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:41,795
(somber music)
999
00:45:42,806 --> 00:45:44,602
- [Beckett] The main
person handling the matter
1000
00:45:44,636 --> 00:45:48,748
for the Assemblies
of God was you.
1001
00:45:48,781 --> 00:45:50,954
- Yes, trying to pull
in all the information
1002
00:45:50,987 --> 00:45:52,693
so I could bring it to this-
1003
00:45:52,726 --> 00:45:56,202
- [Beckett] You were the son
of the alleged perpetrator.
1004
00:45:56,237 --> 00:45:57,841
- Yes, exactly.
1005
00:45:57,875 --> 00:46:01,051
- [Beckett] How did you
expect that to be received?
1006
00:46:01,084 --> 00:46:02,623
- I understand
what you're saying.
1007
00:46:03,959 --> 00:46:05,699
The whole idea of a
conflict of interest,
1008
00:46:05,732 --> 00:46:07,771
to be honest, hadn't
even occurred to me
1009
00:46:07,805 --> 00:46:09,811
and was never suggested
by anyone else
1010
00:46:09,844 --> 00:46:11,650
until we got here
to the commission.
1011
00:46:11,683 --> 00:46:14,123
I saw it as me being in a role,
1012
00:46:14,156 --> 00:46:17,835
having to make tough
decisions and having the guts
1013
00:46:17,868 --> 00:46:20,108
or the courage to make
those tough decisions.
1014
00:46:20,141 --> 00:46:21,580
No matter what any
paperwork says,
1015
00:46:21,613 --> 00:46:23,284
no matter whatever else happens,
1016
00:46:23,318 --> 00:46:26,226
I knew he would never preach
again from that moment.
1017
00:46:27,765 --> 00:46:29,604
- The idea that Frank
never preached again,
1018
00:46:30,807 --> 00:46:34,585
that's not true.
(somber music continues)
1019
00:46:34,619 --> 00:46:36,122
- I remember when I
heard that audio in 2004
1020
00:46:36,156 --> 00:46:37,561
where he was still preaching,
1021
00:46:40,001 --> 00:46:40,970
that was chilling.
1022
00:46:41,004 --> 00:46:43,746
That was really,
really chilling.
1023
00:46:43,779 --> 00:46:44,882
- [Frank] What a wonderful joy
1024
00:46:44,916 --> 00:46:46,287
just to be in
church this morning.
1025
00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:47,290
- [Congregation] Yes.
1026
00:46:47,323 --> 00:46:48,727
- [Frank] Look at me today.
1027
00:46:50,064 --> 00:46:54,277
Nothing can separate you
from the love of God.
1028
00:46:55,782 --> 00:46:57,085
- [Alex] We heard from
former congregants,
1029
00:46:57,119 --> 00:46:59,927
some of whom wanted
to remain anonymous.
1030
00:46:59,961 --> 00:47:01,231
I understand that you were close
1031
00:47:01,264 --> 00:47:05,176
with Frank and Hazel
Houston in 2000, 2004.
1032
00:47:05,209 --> 00:47:08,788
- [Interviewee] Yeah, the last
years of their lives, really.
1033
00:47:08,821 --> 00:47:10,794
All we were told
is they were sent
1034
00:47:10,827 --> 00:47:13,233
to the Central Coast to retire.
1035
00:47:13,267 --> 00:47:14,939
(somber music continues)
1036
00:47:14,972 --> 00:47:16,878
- [Frank] God's got a
purpose for your life.
1037
00:47:18,115 --> 00:47:20,957
God has got a purpose
for your life.
1038
00:47:22,996 --> 00:47:24,669
- [Interviewee] I
never heard a word
1039
00:47:24,702 --> 00:47:27,108
about them being stood down.
(somber music continues)
1040
00:47:27,142 --> 00:47:29,114
They were like royalty.
1041
00:47:29,148 --> 00:47:32,290
They had their own parking spot
out the front of the church,
1042
00:47:32,325 --> 00:47:34,230
and their names
were on a plaque.
1043
00:47:34,263 --> 00:47:35,835
(somber music continues)
1044
00:47:35,869 --> 00:47:37,741
- [Frank] And the
little boy back there,
1045
00:47:37,774 --> 00:47:40,984
two little boys, one
bigger than the other,
1046
00:47:41,017 --> 00:47:43,859
but God's got a purpose
for their lives.
1047
00:47:43,893 --> 00:47:45,364
- [Alex] You had young
kids at the time, right?
1048
00:47:46,735 --> 00:47:48,171
(somber music continues)
1049
00:47:48,205 --> 00:47:51,850
- [Interviewee] He used to
tell my son, who was 10,
1050
00:47:51,883 --> 00:47:54,323
"You look like you're
a million bucks."
1051
00:47:54,357 --> 00:47:56,731
And you know what, if
I knew what I knew now,
1052
00:47:57,901 --> 00:47:59,339
I would've punched
him in the face.
1053
00:47:59,372 --> 00:48:01,177
(somber music continues)
1054
00:48:01,210 --> 00:48:02,783
- [Frank] What a fantastic
young fellow he is.
1055
00:48:02,816 --> 00:48:05,323
Curly hair, sort of.
1056
00:48:05,357 --> 00:48:06,326
Good looking.
1057
00:48:06,360 --> 00:48:08,031
(somber music continues)
1058
00:48:08,065 --> 00:48:09,168
It's not your fault
you're good looking,
1059
00:48:10,137 --> 00:48:11,140
so thank God you are.
1060
00:48:13,113 --> 00:48:15,488
- [Interviewee] Never, never
in a million years did I think
1061
00:48:15,521 --> 00:48:18,797
that myself and my
son were standing
1062
00:48:18,831 --> 00:48:21,806
in front of a
pedophile, a sex abuser
1063
00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:26,219
who had actually abused
other children at that age.
1064
00:48:26,252 --> 00:48:27,122
(somber music continues)
1065
00:48:27,155 --> 00:48:28,494
- [Frank] By the grace of God,
1066
00:48:28,527 --> 00:48:31,836
I'm still vibrant on the inside.
1067
00:48:31,870 --> 00:48:35,380
I'm still alive with the
Holy Ghost on the inside.
1068
00:48:35,414 --> 00:48:36,985
(somber music continues)
1069
00:48:37,018 --> 00:48:40,496
- [Interviewee] Like,
I just can't understand
1070
00:48:40,530 --> 00:48:44,975
that you would allow someone
to be in that environment.
1071
00:48:45,009 --> 00:48:47,015
There was children
there every week.
1072
00:48:47,048 --> 00:48:48,520
What the hell?
1073
00:48:48,554 --> 00:48:53,535
(somber music continues)
(film reel clicking)
1074
00:48:53,569 --> 00:48:55,441
- For years, I
would go to church
1075
00:48:55,475 --> 00:48:58,884
and I would try
to immerse myself
1076
00:48:58,917 --> 00:49:00,287
in everything
going on around me,
1077
00:49:00,321 --> 00:49:02,027
but I'd continue to
get these thoughts.
1078
00:49:02,060 --> 00:49:04,434
This is rubbish.
This isn't true.
1079
00:49:04,468 --> 00:49:06,407
And through the grapevine,
1080
00:49:06,441 --> 00:49:09,081
I found out that there was
gonna be an announcement
1081
00:49:09,114 --> 00:49:11,589
about Frank Houston.
(somber music continues)
1082
00:49:11,623 --> 00:49:14,196
- So I was Brian's intern.
1083
00:49:15,501 --> 00:49:17,607
Obviously super close
with Ben and Joel.
1084
00:49:17,641 --> 00:49:20,047
I was at their house when all
that stuff kinda went down.
1085
00:49:20,081 --> 00:49:22,456
I remember Brian
talking about it
1086
00:49:24,259 --> 00:49:26,199
and what he was gonna have
to do, to tell the church.
1087
00:49:26,232 --> 00:49:27,471
(ominous music)
1088
00:49:27,504 --> 00:49:29,174
- My own father,
who was my hero,
1089
00:49:31,147 --> 00:49:35,359
was accused of sexual abuse.
1090
00:49:35,392 --> 00:49:36,329
It was like
1091
00:49:38,001 --> 00:49:41,110
jets flying into the
Twin Towers of my soul.
1092
00:49:41,144 --> 00:49:44,019
(ominous music continues)
1093
00:49:44,052 --> 00:49:46,292
But the reason
why I'm still here
1094
00:49:46,325 --> 00:49:49,134
and the reason why I still
believe in the power of God
1095
00:49:49,168 --> 00:49:51,374
and still love to see
people transformed
1096
00:49:51,407 --> 00:49:54,383
through Jesus Christ is
because that still looks right.
1097
00:49:54,416 --> 00:49:56,088
What God says still looks right.
1098
00:49:56,122 --> 00:49:57,961
(congregation clapping)
1099
00:49:57,994 --> 00:49:58,997
Praise God.
1100
00:49:59,031 --> 00:50:02,373
(congregation clapping)
1101
00:50:02,407 --> 00:50:04,648
- All these people stood
up and applauded him.
1102
00:50:06,185 --> 00:50:08,024
I thought, 12,000
people are wrong.
1103
00:50:08,058 --> 00:50:10,030
That was the last time
I went to Hillsong,
1104
00:50:10,064 --> 00:50:13,139
and that was the last time I
was afraid of going to hell,
1105
00:50:13,173 --> 00:50:15,581
because if it's
between me and the guy
1106
00:50:15,615 --> 00:50:18,188
that's apparently covering
up for the pedophile,
1107
00:50:18,221 --> 00:50:22,702
then I'll stand by me.
(ominous music continues)
1108
00:50:24,239 --> 00:50:26,581
After that, I felt like
I had a responsibility
1109
00:50:26,614 --> 00:50:29,690
to just raise awareness,
to let people know
1110
00:50:29,723 --> 00:50:31,729
that they weren't
everything that they seemed.
1111
00:50:31,763 --> 00:50:35,575
(ominous music continues)
1112
00:50:35,608 --> 00:50:38,482
- Frank dies in 2004 without
being convicted of any crime.
1113
00:50:38,517 --> 00:50:39,587
(ominous music continues)
1114
00:50:39,620 --> 00:50:43,464
The police were never
contacted by Brian or the AOG.
1115
00:50:43,498 --> 00:50:45,538
Brian's excuse was
that he didn't know
1116
00:50:45,571 --> 00:50:47,375
that he had to
contact the police.
1117
00:50:47,408 --> 00:50:48,780
(ominous music continues)
1118
00:50:48,814 --> 00:50:50,820
In fact, however, it
was revealed later
1119
00:50:50,853 --> 00:50:52,491
that Brian had
sought legal counsel
1120
00:50:52,525 --> 00:50:54,832
on the matter at least twice.
(ominous music continues)
1121
00:50:54,865 --> 00:50:58,141
He knew that if he brought
the matter to the police,
1122
00:50:58,174 --> 00:50:59,445
his father could have
been incarcerated
1123
00:50:59,479 --> 00:51:01,753
and his church would
have been disgraced.
1124
00:51:01,786 --> 00:51:04,662
(ominous music continues)
1125
00:51:04,695 --> 00:51:06,534
- When I was at the
Royal Commission,
1126
00:51:06,567 --> 00:51:09,408
it was very interesting hearing
Brian Houston's testimony.
1127
00:51:09,442 --> 00:51:13,420
The majority of his statements
just didn't line up,
1128
00:51:13,454 --> 00:51:15,527
and I think it was like
1129
00:51:15,561 --> 00:51:17,567
there were too many
cracks in the damn wall.
1130
00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:19,171
(ominous music continues)
1131
00:51:19,204 --> 00:51:20,174
- [Prosecutor] Mr. Houston,
can I suggest to you
1132
00:51:20,207 --> 00:51:22,347
that the inconsistencies
and errors
1133
00:51:22,380 --> 00:51:23,819
in your statement
were deliberate?
1134
00:51:25,624 --> 00:51:26,493
(ominous music continues)
- Why would I admit it,
1135
00:51:26,526 --> 00:51:28,331
why would I bring it up here,
1136
00:51:28,365 --> 00:51:29,603
if it was deliberate?
- Mr. Houston,
1137
00:51:29,636 --> 00:51:31,340
I'm just making a
suggestion to you.
1138
00:51:31,374 --> 00:51:32,579
- If it was deliberate that I
was trying to hide something.
1139
00:51:32,612 --> 00:51:35,185
I mean, the truth is, I didn't
have to talk about it at all.
1140
00:51:35,219 --> 00:51:36,691
I spoke about it
1141
00:51:36,724 --> 00:51:39,867
because I'm saying I had
completely forgotten this
1142
00:51:39,900 --> 00:51:41,471
and now I remember,
1143
00:51:41,505 --> 00:51:44,346
so I'm telling the commission
this is what I remember.
1144
00:51:44,379 --> 00:51:46,721
- [Prosecutor] Thank
you. Nothing further.
1145
00:51:46,754 --> 00:51:50,197
(ominous music continues)
1146
00:51:54,242 --> 00:51:57,385
(ominous music continues)
1147
00:52:03,731 --> 00:52:06,252
- Typically the way that
Hillsong has handled scandal,
1148
00:52:06,285 --> 00:52:07,657
because I've been a part of it,
1149
00:52:07,691 --> 00:52:10,532
was what looks best
for the church.
1150
00:52:10,565 --> 00:52:11,803
(somber music)
But most of the time,
1151
00:52:11,836 --> 00:52:14,276
it serves everybody to
push everything down.
1152
00:52:14,309 --> 00:52:16,785
You just push it as far
under the rug as you can.
1153
00:52:16,818 --> 00:52:19,727
We choose narrative over truth,
1154
00:52:19,760 --> 00:52:21,598
and that leads to
absolute disaster
1155
00:52:21,633 --> 00:52:22,836
because the truth
doesn't go anywhere
1156
00:52:22,869 --> 00:52:24,875
just because you cover it up.
1157
00:52:24,909 --> 00:52:27,450
- The Royal Commission's
report has now published.
1158
00:52:27,483 --> 00:52:30,024
It's online, I encourage
everyone to read it.
1159
00:52:30,057 --> 00:52:32,363
- [Reporter] 17
shameful volumes.
1160
00:52:32,397 --> 00:52:35,842
"It is a national tragedy
perpetrated over generations."
1161
00:52:35,875 --> 00:52:38,315
- If you read the report
of the Royal Commission,
1162
00:52:38,348 --> 00:52:40,321
it's pretty clear what happened.
1163
00:52:40,354 --> 00:52:42,696
The church had known
about the abuse
1164
00:52:42,729 --> 00:52:44,601
for more than a
decade and a half,
1165
00:52:44,635 --> 00:52:46,975
and the church had told nobody.
1166
00:52:47,008 --> 00:52:48,345
(tense music)
1167
00:52:48,378 --> 00:52:51,923
Here is a modern
abusive institution
1168
00:52:51,956 --> 00:52:56,335
which the Royal Commission
had just exposed.
1169
00:52:56,369 --> 00:52:58,944
(tense music continues)
1170
00:52:58,977 --> 00:53:00,515
This material is out there.
1171
00:53:00,549 --> 00:53:01,753
The police have it.
1172
00:53:03,558 --> 00:53:05,029
Time for some action.
(tense music continues)
1173
00:53:05,062 --> 00:53:07,971
- The Australian government
and this parliament,
1174
00:53:08,004 --> 00:53:11,816
on behalf of all Australians,
unreservedly apologizes
1175
00:53:11,849 --> 00:53:13,922
to the victims and survivors
1176
00:53:13,956 --> 00:53:16,731
of institutional
child sexual abuse.
1177
00:53:18,469 --> 00:53:21,913
- It soon became apparent
that nothing was happening.
1178
00:53:21,946 --> 00:53:22,816
(dramatic music)
1179
00:53:22,849 --> 00:53:23,685
- We are sorry.
1180
00:53:24,855 --> 00:53:26,928
- This gross, gross failure
1181
00:53:26,961 --> 00:53:28,666
just kind of
dropped into a hole.
1182
00:53:30,170 --> 00:53:32,679
There's no institutional
explanation for this delay.
1183
00:53:32,712 --> 00:53:35,119
This isn't a hugely
complicated case.
1184
00:53:35,152 --> 00:53:36,991
(dramatic music continues)
1185
00:53:37,025 --> 00:53:38,964
This isn't some kind
of international
drug smuggling ring.
1186
00:53:40,736 --> 00:53:42,508
So the question was, well,
where are the police?
1187
00:53:42,541 --> 00:53:45,450
(dramatic music continues)
1188
00:53:45,483 --> 00:53:48,694
(church bell ringing)
1189
00:53:52,170 --> 00:53:56,483
- When Frank Houston died, a
remarkable scene played out.
1190
00:53:56,516 --> 00:53:58,489
The next New South Wales
Police Commissioner
1191
00:53:58,522 --> 00:54:01,766
attended Frank Houston's
funeral as a mark of respect.
1192
00:54:03,069 --> 00:54:04,908
That police commissioner
called Andrew Scipione
1193
00:54:04,942 --> 00:54:07,917
himself is a
Hillsong congregant.
1194
00:54:07,951 --> 00:54:09,522
(tense music)
- Post royal commission,
1195
00:54:09,555 --> 00:54:13,935
we still had very senior
members of the state government,
1196
00:54:13,969 --> 00:54:16,844
including the former
police commissioner,
1197
00:54:16,878 --> 00:54:19,051
very, very closely connected
with this institution
1198
00:54:19,084 --> 00:54:20,522
as though nothing had happened.
1199
00:54:20,555 --> 00:54:22,193
(tense music continues)
1200
00:54:22,226 --> 00:54:23,965
- Perhaps it's coincidence,
1201
00:54:23,999 --> 00:54:27,576
but for the duration of
Commissioner Scipione's time
1202
00:54:27,609 --> 00:54:29,950
running the New
South Wales Police,
1203
00:54:29,983 --> 00:54:31,588
there was no effective
investigation
1204
00:54:31,621 --> 00:54:33,527
into Brian Houston or Hillsong.
1205
00:54:33,561 --> 00:54:34,932
(tense music continues)
1206
00:54:34,965 --> 00:54:37,573
As a journalist,
this is a moment
1207
00:54:37,606 --> 00:54:39,847
that is really worth untangling.
1208
00:54:39,880 --> 00:54:40,983
(tense music continues)
1209
00:54:41,016 --> 00:54:43,256
- Hillsong followers are rife
1210
00:54:43,289 --> 00:54:45,162
throughout Australian politics,
1211
00:54:45,195 --> 00:54:47,268
throughout the Australian
public service,
1212
00:54:47,301 --> 00:54:48,739
especially within the police.
1213
00:54:48,774 --> 00:54:49,642
(tense music continues)
1214
00:54:49,675 --> 00:54:51,113
- And it turns out that in fact,
1215
00:54:51,147 --> 00:54:52,986
part of the church's
business model was
1216
00:54:53,019 --> 00:54:56,730
to put its supporters in
positions of power and authority
1217
00:54:56,764 --> 00:54:58,268
and look for people in
positions of power and authority
1218
00:54:58,301 --> 00:55:00,274
and make them their supporters.
1219
00:55:00,307 --> 00:55:03,651
And it had been extremely
successful in doing that.
1220
00:55:03,684 --> 00:55:06,726
In a few short decades,
Hillsong had managed
1221
00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:10,137
to capture a fairly big
chunk of Australian politics.
1222
00:55:10,170 --> 00:55:13,581
(tense music continues)
1223
00:55:17,091 --> 00:55:18,830
- The fact that
Frank has passed away
1224
00:55:18,864 --> 00:55:21,036
has made it extremely difficult
1225
00:55:21,070 --> 00:55:24,848
to make any progress in
terms of pursuing justice.
1226
00:55:24,882 --> 00:55:28,827
(tense music continues)
1227
00:55:28,860 --> 00:55:30,966
I don't know that
there's any way
1228
00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:33,707
to compensate for
what's happened,
1229
00:55:33,741 --> 00:55:35,345
and I don't think
money's gonna do it.
1230
00:55:35,379 --> 00:55:38,354
(melancholy music)
1231
00:55:38,388 --> 00:55:40,762
It's all the lost opportunities.
1232
00:55:43,872 --> 00:55:44,842
It's still there.
1233
00:55:44,875 --> 00:55:47,215
I still feel a degree of shame.
1234
00:55:47,248 --> 00:55:48,686
Not okay.
1235
00:55:48,719 --> 00:55:49,755
Don't quite measure up.
1236
00:55:49,789 --> 00:55:51,728
(melancholy music continues)
1237
00:55:51,761 --> 00:55:53,399
Not a whole person.
1238
00:55:53,433 --> 00:55:54,704
Slightly broken.
1239
00:55:56,408 --> 00:55:59,953
Every part of my life
has been impacted.
1240
00:56:00,890 --> 00:56:02,761
(melancholy music continues)
1241
00:56:02,794 --> 00:56:04,165
I just saw no hope.
1242
00:56:04,199 --> 00:56:06,908
(melancholy music continues)
1243
00:56:06,941 --> 00:56:09,448
Without the support
of my wife and family,
1244
00:56:09,482 --> 00:56:11,287
I wouldn't be here today.
1245
00:56:11,320 --> 00:56:14,965
(melancholy music continues)
1246
00:56:17,840 --> 00:56:18,308
(no audio)
1247
00:56:21,484 --> 00:56:24,025
(tense music)
1248
00:56:29,211 --> 00:56:30,825
- Not only was there this delay,
1249
00:56:30,858 --> 00:56:33,499
but there was also
very close associations
1250
00:56:33,533 --> 00:56:35,070
between the Hillsong leadership
1251
00:56:35,104 --> 00:56:38,247
and the then Australian
political leadership,
1252
00:56:38,281 --> 00:56:40,487
and we just got stonewalled.
(tense music continues)
1253
00:56:40,520 --> 00:56:43,128
All these institutional
barriers started going up.
1254
00:56:43,162 --> 00:56:44,767
Well, that gets my
hackles up, to be honest.
1255
00:56:44,800 --> 00:56:47,508
(tense music continues)
1256
00:56:47,541 --> 00:56:51,386
Thankfully, we had a survivor
1257
00:56:51,420 --> 00:56:54,295
who was not willing to let it go
1258
00:56:54,329 --> 00:56:57,136
and had the courage and
the emotional strength
1259
00:56:57,171 --> 00:57:00,580
to speak to a national
audience and demand action.
1260
00:57:01,751 --> 00:57:03,556
- My name's Brett Sengstock.
1261
00:57:03,589 --> 00:57:05,662
I appeared at the Royal
Commission as AHA.
1262
00:57:06,866 --> 00:57:08,103
That was my pseudonym,
1263
00:57:09,340 --> 00:57:12,616
and I now stand before you
1264
00:57:12,650 --> 00:57:13,787
with who I really am.
1265
00:57:14,622 --> 00:57:16,295
(melancholy music)
1266
00:57:16,328 --> 00:57:18,367
- When Brett spoke
to "60 Minutes"
1267
00:57:18,401 --> 00:57:23,282
he changed from being an acronym
in a block of text to being
1268
00:57:24,753 --> 00:57:29,300
this compelling, powerful,
brave human being.
1269
00:57:30,437 --> 00:57:31,606
(somber music)
1270
00:57:31,640 --> 00:57:33,612
- I'm tired of people
speaking for me
1271
00:57:33,646 --> 00:57:38,561
and telling the world how I
felt and how I am feeling.
1272
00:57:38,594 --> 00:57:40,200
Now I'm telling the world
how I really do feel.
1273
00:57:40,233 --> 00:57:42,406
- And how is that?
(somber music continues)
1274
00:57:42,439 --> 00:57:43,174
- Pretty annoyed.
1275
00:57:45,248 --> 00:57:45,916
Pretty annoyed.
1276
00:57:46,853 --> 00:57:49,627
And I'm not going away just yet.
1277
00:57:49,660 --> 00:57:50,630
(somber music continues)
1278
00:57:50,663 --> 00:57:52,236
- Neither Brian Houston
1279
00:57:52,269 --> 00:57:54,242
or any of the Hillsong
Church's leaders
1280
00:57:54,275 --> 00:57:56,448
have faced any
legal repercussions
1281
00:57:56,481 --> 00:57:59,323
for their failure to report
an indictable offense.
1282
00:57:59,357 --> 00:58:01,964
It's now 49 years since
the abuse started,
1283
00:58:01,998 --> 00:58:04,807
and 19 years since Brian
Houston was aware of it,
1284
00:58:04,840 --> 00:58:07,281
and three years after the
Royal Commission delivered
1285
00:58:07,314 --> 00:58:09,554
its damning report, yet
nothing has happened.
1286
00:58:09,587 --> 00:58:10,891
(somber music continues)
1287
00:58:10,925 --> 00:58:13,699
Brett Sengstock has
contacted my office for help.
1288
00:58:13,734 --> 00:58:15,840
He is suffering from a
life-threatening illness,
1289
00:58:15,873 --> 00:58:17,277
and he is concerned justice
1290
00:58:17,311 --> 00:58:18,982
will not be served
in his lifetime.
1291
00:58:19,015 --> 00:58:22,493
That would be a further
obscene betrayal.
1292
00:58:22,526 --> 00:58:24,699
While Brett's
waiting for justice,
1293
00:58:24,733 --> 00:58:29,045
we have the Trump administration
inviting Brian Houston
1294
00:58:29,079 --> 00:58:31,854
to be his extra-special guest
1295
00:58:31,888 --> 00:58:34,595
at a White House
reception in Washington.
1296
00:58:34,629 --> 00:58:36,334
(somber music continues)
1297
00:58:36,368 --> 00:58:37,003
- Well, what an honor to be
standing in the White House
1298
00:58:37,036 --> 00:58:38,641
in the Cabinet Room,
1299
00:58:38,674 --> 00:58:41,751
and to have just had the chance
to pray for President Trump.
1300
00:58:41,784 --> 00:58:44,358
- It's a fact that Brian
Houston is a close friend
1301
00:58:44,392 --> 00:58:46,030
of the prime minister,
Scott Morrison.
1302
00:58:46,063 --> 00:58:49,005
- What this country needs more
than that is the love of God.
1303
00:58:49,039 --> 00:58:50,778
(congregation clapping)
1304
00:58:50,811 --> 00:58:53,017
- I just want to guarantee you
1305
00:58:53,051 --> 00:58:55,692
that we will be praying for you.
1306
00:58:55,726 --> 00:58:58,567
And praying for you not
just now, but consistently.
1307
00:58:58,601 --> 00:59:00,105
(congregation clapping)
1308
00:59:00,138 --> 00:59:02,646
- No one, regardless
of their friends,
1309
00:59:02,679 --> 00:59:04,084
should be beyond the
reach of the law.
1310
00:59:04,117 --> 00:59:05,522
(somber music continues)
1311
00:59:05,555 --> 00:59:08,062
- I want my husband
to have justice.
1312
00:59:08,096 --> 00:59:10,703
He deserves it.
(somber music continues)
1313
00:59:10,738 --> 00:59:15,485
- To go on national TV as a
survivor of child sex abuse
1314
00:59:15,518 --> 00:59:19,697
and to demand your
measure of justice,
1315
00:59:19,731 --> 00:59:23,442
that is the work that finally
pushes institutions to act.
1316
00:59:23,475 --> 00:59:24,445
(somber music continues)
1317
00:59:24,478 --> 00:59:25,950
There is compelling evidence
1318
00:59:25,983 --> 00:59:28,691
that Brian Houston knew
while he was a church leader
1319
00:59:28,724 --> 00:59:31,098
about the abuse, about
the hush payments,
1320
00:59:31,131 --> 00:59:32,837
and that he failed
to tell the police.
1321
00:59:32,870 --> 00:59:34,107
This is a crime.
1322
00:59:34,140 --> 00:59:35,043
(somber music continues)
1323
00:59:35,077 --> 00:59:36,749
- [Announcer] A key question,
1324
00:59:36,782 --> 00:59:40,192
when did he first learn of
those allegations of abuse?
1325
00:59:40,225 --> 00:59:41,663
- [Reporter 1] Now,
amidst this turmoil
1326
00:59:41,696 --> 00:59:43,067
in church leadership,
1327
00:59:43,101 --> 00:59:45,608
an early leader of
Hillsong has come forward.
1328
00:59:45,642 --> 00:59:47,749
- [Reporter 2] Brian
Houston categorically denies
1329
00:59:47,782 --> 00:59:50,022
knowing any claims of
sexual abuse by his father
1330
00:59:50,055 --> 00:59:53,632
before 1999, but Bullock
says Houston knew
1331
00:59:53,666 --> 00:59:55,906
of allegations by his
father years earlier.
1332
00:59:57,043 --> 01:00:01,088
- I do know that
Frank was outed,
1333
01:00:01,121 --> 01:00:02,961
because Brian told
me in the early 90s.
1334
01:00:02,994 --> 01:00:05,200
(somber music continues)
1335
01:00:05,233 --> 01:00:08,510
I should've said something
and done something long ago.
1336
01:00:10,148 --> 01:00:15,030
Not only wasn't Brian
accountable, but neither was I.
1337
01:00:15,899 --> 01:00:18,640
(somber music continues)
1338
01:00:21,248 --> 01:00:24,090
- It was only after that New
South Wales Police Commissioner
1339
01:00:24,124 --> 01:00:27,802
departed the scene in 2019
1340
01:00:27,835 --> 01:00:31,947
that the police began a real
investigation of Brian Houston.
1341
01:00:31,981 --> 01:00:33,619
(somber music continues)
1342
01:00:33,652 --> 01:00:37,229
- December, 2021, a year
after Carl is banished,
1343
01:00:37,263 --> 01:00:39,102
Brian Houston is
indicted in Australia
1344
01:00:39,135 --> 01:00:42,612
for allegedly covering for
his father being a pedophile.
1345
01:00:42,646 --> 01:00:46,123
- Breaking news in relation
to a religious leader
1346
01:00:46,156 --> 01:00:48,129
and a friend of the prime
minister who's being charged.
1347
01:00:48,162 --> 01:00:50,636
- This is a New South
Wales Police statement.
1348
01:00:50,670 --> 01:00:52,141
A church leader is being charged
1349
01:00:52,174 --> 01:00:53,612
over the alleged concealment
1350
01:00:53,645 --> 01:00:55,585
of alleged child sex offenses.
1351
01:01:07,789 --> 01:01:09,627
- You need to know that
there is an enemy out there,
1352
01:01:09,660 --> 01:01:11,599
and his intent is to defile you,
1353
01:01:13,204 --> 01:01:15,645
and let's always remember
that when we see the church,
1354
01:01:15,678 --> 01:01:19,055
His beautiful church
on the Earth, attacked.
1355
01:01:19,088 --> 01:01:20,727
Royal commission week,
1356
01:01:20,761 --> 01:01:23,134
I have never felt so
exposed in my life,
1357
01:01:23,167 --> 01:01:25,976
and I remember I didn't
know what to do but wait.
1358
01:01:26,009 --> 01:01:27,012
And so all day, I waited.
1359
01:01:27,046 --> 01:01:28,416
I went out.
1360
01:01:28,450 --> 01:01:30,757
I did a manicure, a
pedicure, and a massage
1361
01:01:30,791 --> 01:01:33,097
'cause I wasn't ready
to back to my real world
1362
01:01:33,130 --> 01:01:34,702
which, gentlemen,
that's what you do.
1363
01:01:34,736 --> 01:01:36,106
(congregation laughing)
(somber music continues)
1364
01:01:36,140 --> 01:01:40,954
It is no point any
of us wasting energy
1365
01:01:40,988 --> 01:01:43,830
on how unfair this seems.
1366
01:01:43,863 --> 01:01:47,173
Not the issue, but the
unfairness that, yet again,
1367
01:01:47,206 --> 01:01:49,881
my husband's integrity
was about to be assailed.
1368
01:01:49,915 --> 01:01:52,388
(somber music continues)
1369
01:01:52,421 --> 01:01:53,559
- More than seven years
1370
01:01:53,592 --> 01:01:57,436
since the Royal Commission
first detailed what happened,
1371
01:01:57,470 --> 01:02:02,451
there is this chance,
this very real chance,
1372
01:02:03,856 --> 01:02:05,494
for the courts to
deliver justice.
1373
01:02:05,528 --> 01:02:06,664
- [Reporter 3] Houston is
facing serious jail time.
1374
01:02:06,698 --> 01:02:11,144
- [Reporter 4] Fate of his
church in the hands of the law.
1375
01:02:13,786 --> 01:02:15,893
(no audio)
1376
01:02:22,211 --> 01:02:24,317
(no audio)
1377
01:02:30,971 --> 01:02:33,110
(no audio)
1378
01:02:39,395 --> 01:02:41,468
(no audio)
1379
01:02:48,022 --> 01:02:50,195
(no audio)
1380
01:02:56,346 --> 01:02:58,386
(no audio)
1381
01:03:04,906 --> 01:03:06,209
(no audio)
1382
01:03:06,243 --> 01:03:09,252
(melancholy music)
1383
01:03:15,370 --> 01:03:18,981
(melancholy music continues)
1384
01:03:25,200 --> 01:03:28,610
(melancholy music continues)
1385
01:03:33,960 --> 01:03:36,667
(melancholy music continues)
1386
01:03:36,701 --> 01:03:39,475
(no audio)
1387
01:03:39,509 --> 01:03:42,418
(camera shutters clicking)
1388
01:03:42,451 --> 01:03:45,628
(bright music)
1389
01:03:45,661 --> 01:03:48,302
(somber music)
102054
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