The Abbott Transcript:Wollongong Ct"You've come all the way from Sydney today to give this evidence? #auspol "A.I have indeed."

18/02/97
ANTHONY JOHN ABBOTT EXAMINED
Q. You are Anthony John Abbott?
Q. You live at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?
A. I do.
Q. Since 1994 you've been a member of the House of Representatives, representing the seat of Warringah?
A. That's correct.
Q. Prior to that, you were the Executive Director of
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy?
A. I was.
Q. And prior to that you were the press secretary and legal
adviser to the then Leader of the Opposition, Dr Hewson?
A. Political adviser and press secretary. 20
Q. You first met the defendant in February 1984?
A. That's correct.
Q. When both of you were at St Patrick's College at Manly? 25
A. Yes.
Q. It was your intention to become a priest?
A. At that time.
30 Q. And you were' there during 1984 and 1985?
A. That's right.
Q. As was the defendant?
A. That's correct.
Q. And in 1986 you did pastoral work in the Emu Plains area?
A. That's correct.
Q. And in 1987 you discontinued your training from the priesthood?
A. That's correct.
Q. You kept up your friendship with the defendant? 45 A. From time to time, yes.
Q. And you saw him?
A. From time to time, perhaps once or twice every twelve months.
Q. And you've kept up that friendship until this day? A. That's correct.
Q. First of all, how would you describe him as a man? 55 A. An extremely upright and virtuous man. I guess one of the things that I liked very much about John when I first met him, was his maturity, intellectual, social, emotional and he was, to that extent I guess, a beacon of humanity at the seminary at Manly
"18/02/97 ABBOTT X
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Q How did he appear to get on with his peers at theseminary at Manly?
Obviously we have different relations with different people. John got on extremely well with some, less well with others. I guess one of the things that marked John out from his peers at the seminary was he was a man with high expectations of himself and others and I can recall on occasions being more than a little annoyed with him, because, you know, he would want to bring me up to the mark, bring me back to the path of virtue from time to time and this didn't always go over too well with me. And I guess it could annoy others as well.
Q. But as far as his own conduct was concerned, did you ever become aware of anything which would in any way question his beliefs and his dedication as a priest? A. Never.
Q. And you've come all the way from Sydney today to give this evidence?
A. I have indeed.
Q. You do have other duties to perform?
A. I have an electorate to represent and a ministry to assist.
<NO CROSS-EXAMINATION
<WITNESS RETIRED

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