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AAP
AAP
National
Jack Gramenz

Hillsong abuse response 'mischaracterised as cover-up'

Brian Houston Frank Houston Hillsong Phillip Boulten SC Brett Sengstock Gareth Christofi Gareth Harrison
Brian Houston respected the victim's wishes by not reporting the abuse, a court has been told. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Hillsong founder Brian Houston respected the wishes of someone his father abused by not reporting it to police and could not have pulled off the cover-up alleged by prosecutors, his barrister says.

Members of the Assemblies of God national executive were not sufficiently invested in Houston's churches to cover up child abuse and Houston had a reasonable excuse not to report it, believing the boy his father abused in the 1970s did not want any investigation, Phillip Boulten SC said.

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