STAT.0367.001.0001_R Royal Cornmi ssion into Insti t utiona l Re spo n se s to Child Sex ual Abu se Statement b;:pij•-Sou~ Name Address Occupation Disability Pensioner Date 30 September 2014 Wales• • 1. This statement made by me accurately sets out the evidence that I am prepared to give to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The statement is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. 2. Where direct speech is referred to in this statement, it is provided in words or words to the effect of those which were used, to the best of my recollection. 3. My full name 4. is~L_H_A_ _ _ _ _ _~I My date of birth i s - 1 9 6 2. In or about the late 1960s my family were quite heavily involved in Assemblies of God church ("AOG"). My family were personal friends with Pastor Frank Houston ("Pastor Frank") and his family. Pastor Frank lived in New Zealand however, he frequently visited Australia to preach and conduct religious seminars. By the late 1970s he was also setting up the church, Sydney Christian Life Centre ("Sydney CLC") in Sydney. Sydney CLC first started as open air meetings in a scout hall in Double Bay, and quickly evolved into Sydney CLC headquarters on Oxford Street. Sydney CLC later merged with Hills Christian Life Centre ("Hills CLC") to become Hillsong Church. 5. About 1969 or 1970, Pastor Frank would stay with my family in Coogee, NSW every now and again when he came to Australia. I was about seven or eight years old at this time. His son Brian, who was in his mid-teens, also stayed with us on one or two occasions. Brian and I would play together at Coogee Beach when they would come stay with us. REDACTED REDACTED Signature: Witness:. Pastor Frank's other son, STAT.0367.001.0002_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement of~HA I continued Graeme, would also stay sometimes. Page 2of8 Pastor Frank's wife would sometimes visit but she didn't stay. 6. In January 1970, I recall that Pastor Frank and his son, Brian, stayed with us for almost a whole week. I'm aware of the date because Pastor Frank signed and dated my mother's bible 'ldi•f@I 1970" which she still has and this is the day before my birthday. A photocopy of the signed bible is attached to this statement as "Annexure A". 7. Pastor Frank was a popular preacher and during this visit from New Zealand he didn't just preach at one church but visited different churches. My family would often go to the different churches with him. We would go to see him before or after the meeting and he would hug and kiss me in front of other people. We would also sometimes go into an office alone where he would feel between my legs. I remember this happening at an evangelical camp in Windsor. 8. On this trip, Pastor Frank and Brian were staying in my sister's room which had a bunk bed while my sister stayed in my parent's room. I had a room to myself that was a walled off part of our verandah. Pastor Frank would creep into my room late at night nearly every night of the week. would be asleep when he came in and then I would wake up with him standing over me. remember that when he was touching me inappropriately I would be petrified and would just lay very still. I could not speak while this was happening and felt like I could not breathe. I'm not sure how long he would stay in the room with me but it felt like forever. I know that he left when it was still full dark. 9. The abuse in my home and at the different church meetings continued over a period of years until I reached puberty. Pastor Frank wanted nothing to do with me after I reached puberty. 10. I continued to attend Sydney CLC regularly after the abuse stopped. I usually attended every Sunday. I can't recall when I stopped attending church but my attendance slowly filtered away as I wasn't keen on being too close to Pastor Frank. On occasions I would still see him at the back of the church and he would come up and hug me. REDACTED REDACTED Signature Witness:. STAT.0367.001.0003_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement offHA I Page 3of8 continued First disclosure of abuse 11. I was so ashamed of the abuse that I kept it inside for many years and did not tell anyone. It was only on or about 1978, when I was about 16 years old, that I told my mother about the abuse. My mother was still heavily involved in the church at that time and I observed that it was difficult for her to accept what I told her. All of her friends were involved in the church, and the Houstons were considered to be almost like royalty in those circles. Pastor Frank was a very popular character and everyone wanted to go to his church in those days. After I told her about the abuse my mother said words to the following effect: "You don't want to be responsible for turning people from the church and sending them to hell." My mother's response affected me and made me think that I did not want to cause any trouble. I therefore did not pursue the matter any further. Disclosure of abuse to church 12. On or about September 1999, my mother attended a church meeting at Emmanuel Christian Family Church in Plumpton, New South Wales. The church is an AOG church. Pastor Barbara Taylor ("Pastor Taylor") ran that church and was holding an outreach meeting. REDACTED over the running of the church REDACTED Pastor Taylor took REDACTED Pastor Kevin Mudford ("Pastor Mudford") was also present at the outreach meeting. 13. My mother called me and told me she had a conversation with Pastor Mudford and told him that I had been sexually abused by Pastor Frank. She warned me that Pastor Mudford was on his way to my home. She said words to the following effect: "He's coming around there. He's very aggressive, he's very angry at you." 14. Shortly thereafter, Pastor Mudford came to my home and started pounding on the front door. I believe it was a Sunday morning when these events took place. When I opened the door he REDACTED REDACTED Witness: ... Signature \ STAT.0367.001.0004_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement ofV\HA !continued Page 4of8 proceeded to shout at me in a very aggressive manner. He shouted words to the effect that I had made up the story about Pastor Frank. Pastor Mudford then barged through the front door. 15. Pastor Taylor arrived as Pastor Mudford was getting ready to leave my house, as I wanted him out. Both Pastor Taylor and Pastor Mudford questioned me about the allegations I had made against Pastor Frank. They tried to tell me that what I was saying was not true, and they both said words to the following effect: "Frank Houston couldn't have done that. He's a good man." However, I got the impression that Pastor Taylor believed my story to some degree by the end of our conversation. She said that she would speak to the church hierarchy on my behalf and get back to me about it. Response 16. On or about 16 September 1999, about a week after Pastors Taylor and Mudford had come to my house, I received a letter from Pastor Taylor [ACC.0006.001.0006]. Pastor Taylor stated in her letter to me that she had seen Pastor John McMartin, an executive member of the AOG and that Pastor McMartin had said that the AOG have a structure in place that can and will deal with allegations of child sexual abuse if they have a written accusation with the time and place. The letter also said "the secular courts is not the way ... " and she encouraged me to go to the church with my story as the church would give me a fair hearing. 17. Although Pastor Taylor told Pastor McMartin of the AOG my story, I never received any correspondence or communication directly from anyone at Sydney CLC I Hillsong or from anyone in the AOG hierarchy itself about this matter. The only contact I had was from Pastor Frank himself who started calling me and my mother on a regular basis. The phone calls started coming about a week or two after I received the letter of 16 September 1999 from Pastor Taylor. I received several telephone calls from Pastor Frank over different periods. When he called me, he would say words to the following effect: "/ want to get together to discuss some sort of money as a compensation to you ... I don't want this on my head when I stand in front of God." The money was something that he brought up. It wasn't something that I asked him for. REDACTED REDACTED Signature Witness: ...., \ STAT.0367.001.0005_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement of~HA I continued Page 5of8 18. I eventually agreed to meet with Pastor Frank on or about early 2000. I decided to meet him because of his phone calls as I didn't want to hear from him any longer and just wanted to get it over and done with. The meeting was at Redfern Station in Sydney. I attended that meeting but when I saw Pastor Frank pull up in his green Jaguar, I walked away. Seeing him bothered me and I did not want to be anywhere near him. Even being in the same State as him bothered me and I just didn't want to connect with him. 19. Following the near-meeting at Redfern station, Pastor Frank continued to attempt to make contact with me and my mother. When he called me, he would say words to the following effect uLook, we need to meet. I want to organise some money far you, some compensation, and get this off." 20. On or about late 2000, whilst Pastor Frank was still active in the church, I agreed to meet with him. The meeting was held at a McDonalds restaurant at Thornleigh, just up Pennant Hills Road. When I arrived at McDonalds, I saw Pastor Frank's green Jaguar in the car park. Inside the restaurant I saw Pastor Frank sitting down next to a man whom I did not recognise {"the unnamed man"}. The unnamed man was eating a burger. Pastor Frank said words to the following effect: "/ want your forgiveness for this. I don't want to die and have to face God with this on my head." The unnamed man then put a food-stained napkin down in front of me and words were said to the following effect Unnamed man: "You put your signature there and I'll give you the $10,000." Pastor Frank: "Just do it and say you forgive me, and that'll be it." At this stage, I was nearly going into a panic. I just wanted to get away from the whole situation. I signed the napkin. The unnamed man said words to the following effect "Alf right, I'll be in touch. I'll send you a cheque." Pastor Frank then said words to the following effect: REDACTED REDACTED Witness: .... Signature: \ STAT.0367.001.0006_R Stateme.n t in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement of V\HA I Page 6of8 continued "If there's any problems contact me or Brian but you'll get your money." I left the restaurant after that. 21. About two months after my meeting with Pastor Frank at McDonalds, I telephoned Brian Houston as I had not yet received any money from Pastor Frank. We had a conversation to the following effect: "What's happening with the payment I was promised? I agreed to forgive your Me: father." Brian: "Yes, ok, I'll get the money to you. There's no problem ... You know, it's your fault all of this happened. You tempted my father." "Why, did he molest you also?" Me: Brian got very angry after that. He slammed the phone down after saying words to the effect of: "You'll be getting money." 22. I'm certain that Brian Houston knew about the meeting that I had with Pastor Frank at McDonalds. I did not tell him about the meeting during our phone conversation however, he appeared to be aware of it and I therefore assumed that Pastor Frank had discussed it with him. Pastor Frank had also told me I could call Brian Houston if there was a problem so that made me believe that Pastor Frank would speak to Brian about the agreement made at McDonalds. 23. About half a month later a cheque in the sum of $10,000 arrived in the post. There was no correspondence of any sort with the cheque. I can not recall who the drawer of the cheque was. 24. On or about 2000, I was watching Brian Houston deliver a Hillsong sermon on television. Brian Houston was very emotional and teary-eyed and he said to the congregation words to the following effect: - REDACTED REDACTED Signature: Witness: ... STAT.0367.001.0007_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement offHA I Page 7of8 continued "I would like you all to pray for me and my family. My father has been involved in a minor indiscretion that happened thirty years ago in New Zealand and we would just like you to pray for us." I knew this to be a reference to allegations that I had read online that Pastor Frank had sexually abused a child or children thirty years ago while he was working with the Salvation Army in New Zealand. I was appalled that Brian Houston had not revealed the extent of the allegations against his father, including my more recent story of abuse by him in Australia. He also avoided using the word "paedophilia" or anything that like that. I thought it was corrupt that he has used the phrase "involved in a minor indiscretion" to describe Pastor Frank's conduct As far as I was aware, Pastor Frank was still preaching on and off at this time, and was also doing seminars. 25. On around 2000 Brian Houston was featured on the ABC's Australian Story, and he said that his father would step down from preaching. 26. I'm not aware of the exact time but sometime between the years 2000 and 2004, my mother told me that Brian Houston had telephoned her. The reason I know it was between these years as it was after the time that everything started to become public in 2000 but before Pastor Frank's memorial service in November 2004. My mother told me that Brian Houston had said words to the following effect: Brian Houston: "It's terrible what happened to ~but the church has to come first... My father never molested me." 27. As far as I am aware the Police were never involved in this matter and Hillsong did not notify any external authorities about the allegations against Pastor Frank. Effects of abuse 28. I feel that what Pastor Frank did to me destroyed my childhood. What he did to me and what he made me do has had a bad reflection on me for the rest of my life. For many years I was full of shame, fear and embarrassment. Now I feel mostly anger. REDACTED Signatur Witness: ........ . '\ STAT.0367.001.0008_R Statement in the matter of Case Study 18 Statement of r..HA !continued Page 8of8 29. The abuse has had long-term effects on me. Late in the night I still get flashbacks of Pastor Frank in my bedroom and see his face floating around me. I have difficulties being in the presence of elderly men. I also have difficulty being intimate with my wife. I can't relate to my own children. I find it awkward to hug my own sons because I don't want them getting used to another male hugging them. Emotionally I don't feel close to anyone and I feel like I'm dead and emotionless on the inside. I am currently suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome .I am on a disability pension. My doctor has diagnosed the cause of these illnesses as Pastor Frank's abuse. 30. I felt very isolated when my story first started to come out and the church community made me feel like I was the problem. Nobody believed my story and others put pressure on me to keep my mouth shut. I felt that the church's response was completely inadequate and I have received absolutely no support, counselling, apology or acknowledgment of the abuse. I believe that Brian Houston and the other elders of Hillsong church kept Pastor Frank's history as quiet as they could, and they have not been held accountable for how they have handled my allegation. REDACTED Signed: Date: REDACTED Witness: Date: REDACTED REDACTED SignaturE Witness: .......