Federal health minister Tony Abbott is exposed on national TV as a liar : Melbourne Indymedia

George Pell has "form" for undermining the Labor Party. In the 1988 federal election, Pell supported John Howard's proposal for a Goods and Services Tax.

In Sepember 2004, Pell issued a statement attacking the Labor Party's plan to give priority funding to the POORER Catholic schools and other needy independent schools (instead of to Scotch College, Melbourne Grammar and a few other wealthy schools). By a strange co-incidence, it was revealed last night that Cardinal Pell had a visit from federal health minister Tony Abbott (a conservative Catholic) just before Pell issued this statement (in conjunction with another Catholic archbishop and two Anglican archbishops):-

Now read this excerpt from ABC TV's Lateline, Thursday 30 September 2004:-

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2004/s1210843.htm

TONY JONES: Tony Abbott on another matter, have you met Archbishop Pell during the election campaign?

TONY ABBOTT: Not that I can recall.

TONY JONES: Not that you can recall, because we believe that you've had at least one meeting with him quite recently?

You don't recall that?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, when?
Where?

TONY JONES: At the presbytery in Sydney.

TONY ABBOTT: Ah, actually now that you do mention it, I did met with Cardinal Pell.

So what?

Why shouldn't I meet with Cardinal Pell?

TONY JONES: Why couldn't you recall meeting him, I think, 10 days ago?

TONY ABBOTT: Look, whenever it was, so what?

Why shouldn't I meet Cardinal Pell.

Cardinal Pell is a fine man.

He made a very good statement the other day about the Labor Party's policy, why shouldn't I meet with him?

TONY JONES: Well, the reason we're asking about this, obviously, because your behind-the-scenes activities in the '98 election were quite renowned and I'm wondering is there any possibility that in your discussions with Cardinal Pell which you couldn't recall a moment ago - in those discussions did you actually bring up the issue of private schools?

TONY ABBOTT: Nup.

TONY JONES: Not at all?

TONY ABBOTT: Nup.

TONY JONES: What issues were discussed?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, Tony, I may well have been going to confession to Cardinal Pell, I may well have been seeking pastoral counselling from Cardinal Pell.

What's so sinister about that?

Cardinal Pell is one of the greatest churchmen that Australia has seen.

I am a very imperfect Catholic.

Why shouldn't I go and seek counsel?

Why shouldn't I go and trespass on the time occasionally of someone like Cardinal Pell.

If you spent more time with Cardinal Pell, your life might be more interesting.

TONY JONES: I haven't spent any time at all with Cardinal Pell as it turns out, but that's beside the point.

You're a political operative and the question is not whether he gave you counselling but whether you gave him counselling because only a short time after your visit out came this letter signed by two Archbishops condemning Labor's education policy?

TONY ABBOTT: So you think that I put words into the mouth not only of Cardinal Pell but of Archbishop Jensen?

TONY JONES: I'm simply asking whether that was a matter of your conversations which a moment ago you didn't recall?

TONY ABBOTT: That's a bizarre suggestion.

TONY JONES: Tony Abbott, we'll have to leave it there, thank you very much for joining us tonight.

TONY ABBOTT: Thanks.