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Wednesday May 23, 2012

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Hinch follows up on Mal Garvin

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 23 March, 2010 - 5:03 PM
Hinch goes even harder on 'repulsive' religious leader

Yesterday on my 3AW program I detailed the repulsive, hypocritical behaviour of religious leader Mal Garvin.

The self-styled evangelist who in January of last year was awarded the Order of Australia at the same time he was taking sexual advantage of a young child abuse victim who was in his care.

I interviewed the victim and visited the tiny town of Poatina in Tasmania which Garvin's Christian group, called Fusion Australia, bought some years ago. Talked to the victim and to several Fusion executives.

Garvin's conduct was investigated by a panel which found the 68-year-old guilty of 'inappropriate behaviour' and 'errors of judgement' with 'a vulnerable young woman'. Fusion's National Executive agreed and promised to take further action.  And a few days later Garvin 'retired'.

He claims on Facebook he is actually 'on a sabbatical'. But Fusion Company Secretary, Noel Sewell, stressed to me last night 'there should not be any suggestion that Mal Garvin is on sabbatical – he announced his retirement to the Annual General Meeting of Fusion Australia on 20 Sept 2009 before a gathering of 300 members of Fusion Australia Ltd'.

Whatever. I want to go back to Garvin's Order of Australia. The citation reads: "For service to the community through the establishment of Fusion Australia and the development of social welfare programs that support and guide young people, and as a broadcaster and author."

As I said yesterday ... several months after receiving his award, the 68-year old was displaying the medal and boasting about it at the bedside of a young woman who had tried to kill herself to escape his relentless sexual advances.

This man received our highest order for services to the welfare of Australia's young people. And at the time he accepted it he was abusing a fragile, vulnerable young woman who had gone to him for help and whose trust he defiled. Said God wanted her to have sex with him to make her get better.

Mal Garvin does not deserve this award. He should return it or be stripped of it.

Yesterday I challenged him to deny this story. Deny all the details in the Sunday Age exposé. I said he can't and won't because sadly it is all true.

And he hasn't. Oh, he has gone on Facebook to blacken his victim. Said 'I am prepared to admit I made mistakes, real ones, but nothing that looks like what was described in the article. The young lady Derryn calls Sarah exhibited a range of extreme behaviours that now cause me to wonder if she has a condition known as ‘Borderline Personality Disorder'.

Extreme behaviour? Could apply to you, Mal. But then you did say in a radio sermon that we all have a bit of sociopath in our psyche.

Garvin has claimed: "Derryn's article yesterday was the first time I have heard these specific allegations and I have got to say I am so relieved. They are so far from the truth that anybody who knows me will know they are over the top."

Why you would be relieved when someone calls you a hypocrite and a sexual predator I do not know. And the first he'd heard? What about the panel investigators who questioned him about the allegations, in Launceston last year, just before he 'retired'?

Garvin also says I made no attempt to contact him through Facebook or email. I'm not a member of Facebook. I emailed him twice. Tried to phone him. Emailed his wife. Talked to his daughter-in-law on the phone. No appearance, your worship.

You haven't refuted my story Mr Garvin. Because you can't.

Blog comments Your Say

  • Why hasn't this scumbag been charged or at least investigated??????

    Kim Tuesday 27 April, 2010 - 4:37 PM

  • I find this all so very sad. How quickly and viciously the knife has been turned into the back of this great man Garvin who I have known personally for over 30 years ! Why do we love so much to bring the great ones down ? So much hatred! So much jumping to conclusions without evidence. Let's just hold our judgement until the truth comes out. Hinch is a journalist. He has his own agenda to create and sensationalise stories that sell. ..that's his job. Think long and carefully people.

    mark Saturday 24 April, 2010 - 8:10 PM

  • with paul on this one.
    I spent quite some in poatina and after months of emotional torment, I treatened to commit suicide. My "caseworker" implied that nobody outside of the village would hear of it.

    and to think they even have their own cemetery.

    anon Friday 23 April, 2010 - 10:52 PM

  • Dave, i was also in fusion for quite a while and Mal and fusion are the same thing. He is quoted through out the cerificate, diploma and foundations and his books are even used. He is worshiped by many and I have seen it first hand even living in the same community for some time.

    I did look after myself whilst with fusion but still needed to deal with stuff when i left.

    It is a good thing that mal is now retired from fusion. Fusion has a lot of good programs and ideas on how to reach people it would be good if you could now work on removing mal from the equation all together!

    anon Saturday 17 April, 2010 - 4:52 PM

  • To Dave, attack my opinions if you want and call me feral, If I choose to see Mal and Fusion as the same entity that it my prerogative, that has been my experience of Fusion and Mal Garvin, they are one and the same. I could go on but you will only find reason to argue with me. You sound like a Fusion person and a to me.

    Paul Friday 9 April, 2010 - 8:06 PM

  • Mmm interesting reading all the comments-to Paul this isn't about your personal issue with fusion,your inability to to say no to things to ensure your well rested in ministry or that you have a feril attitude dude I repeat this issue is not about fusion and what it represents the issue is about a man who who has been accused of something and a young woman who has been impacted - by what who knows. The truth and media together in the same sentence hahaha oh n not to mention hinch. The truth is certainly out there and none of us will ever know what took place but you can always be sure that people will have a stab- even if they think they know

    Dave Thursday 8 April, 2010 - 7:13 PM

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