Allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards two women against Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston and his subsequent resignation have left Scott Morrison "disappointed and shocked".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Houston resigned from the church on Wednesday less than a week after it revealed and apologised for his alleged behaviour.
"I must admit we were very disappointed and shocked to hear the news," the prime minister told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.
"My first thoughts were with the victims, as they've been rightly described, and so very concerned and the actions that have been taken are entirely appropriate."
Mr Morrison, who is a Pentecostal Christian but attends another church, said he had not been to Hillsong for about 15 years.
However, he has multiple ties to the former megachurch leader.
In his maiden speech to parliament in 2008, Mr Morrison said he had been "been greatly assisted by the pastoral work of many dedicated church leaders" iand named Mr Houston.
In 2019 he opened the Hillsong Church conference in Sydney alongside Mr Houston.
That same year, Mr Morrison tried inviting Mr Houston to a White House dinner during his state visit, but the US rejected the request. Mr Morrison did not admit to the request until March 2020.
Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie founded Hillsong in 1983 in Sydney's western suburbs, with churches now in 30 countries and an average global attendance of 150,000 weekly, according to its website.
His resignation follows an apology issued by the church's global board on Friday over allegations of his alleged conduct towards two women.
About 10 years ago, Mr Houston allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to a staff member while under the influence of sleeping tablets he had become dependent on.
The incident ended with the employee resigning, according to the board.
The second incident was received by the church in 2019.
According to the board, Mr Houston became disoriented following a Hillsong Conference and had consumed too much anti-anxiety medication mixed with alcohol when he knocked on the hotel room door and spent time with the female occupant.
An investigation launched by the global board found Mr Houston had breached the Hillsong Pastor's Code of Conduct and the woman was refunded money she had donated to the church.
Following that investigation, Mr Houston stepped down from Hillsong leadership. But according to the board he did not do all the agreed upon steps - that have not been detailed - and he remained suspended, until Wednesday's resignation.
As well as the mistreatment allegations, Mr Houston is due back in a NSW court in December for a three-week hearing over allegations he hid his father Frank's child sexual abuse.
The 68-year-old in October pleaded not guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence allegedly committed by another person.
Australian Associated Press
