WEBVTT - The star who wants to ‘destroy’ Alan Jones 

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<v Speaker 1>From the Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Claire Harvey.

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<v Speaker 1>It's Monday, August tenth, twenty twenty six. White activists who

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<v Speaker 1>demand decolonization are guilty of political correctness gone wild. That's

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<v Speaker 1>according to Indigenous academic Mark Rose, a Gundichmurra Man, who's

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<v Speaker 1>just been made First Nation's Commissioner at the Tertiary Sector's

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<v Speaker 1>Oversight Body ATECH, Senior Treasury officials privately discussed warnings that

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<v Speaker 1>Anthony Albanese's five percent home deposit scheme could lead to

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<v Speaker 1>first home buyers being exposed to risk of negative equity

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<v Speaker 1>if house prices fell below the value of their mortgages.

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<v Speaker 1>Those exclusives are live now at the Australian dot com

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<v Speaker 1>dot au. Former broadcaster Ray Hadley will this week enter

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<v Speaker 1>the witness box to give evidence in the criminal trial

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<v Speaker 1>of his former close colleague and rival Alan Jones. Jones

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<v Speaker 1>has pleaded not guilty to twenty two charges involving sexual

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<v Speaker 1>contact with young men. His barrister has already told the

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<v Speaker 1>trial Hadley wanted to destroy Jones and he'll be giving

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<v Speaker 1>evidence for the Crown. That's an exclusive in Today's Media

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<v Speaker 1>Diary by Steve Jackson Today. Reporter Leam Mendez joins us

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<v Speaker 1>fresh from his courtroom seat just behind Jones, with insights

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<v Speaker 1>on what's shaping up as an epic and bitterly forught trial.

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<v Speaker 2>Are you making your evidence up as you go along?

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<v Speaker 3>No?

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<v Speaker 1>This is an exchange in the New South Wales Local

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<v Speaker 1>Court between the defense lawyer Gabrielle Bisheer, one of the

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<v Speaker 1>country's most eminent silks, representing former broadcaster Allan Jones, and

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<v Speaker 1>a man we can name only as complainant. Jay Jay

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<v Speaker 1>is one of six men who claim Jones engaged in

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<v Speaker 1>unwanted kissing and touching of them. We've used voice actors

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<v Speaker 1>throughout this episode to bring you the words spoken in court.

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<v Speaker 1>Jones has pleaded not guilty to twenty counts of indecent

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<v Speaker 1>assault and two counts of sexual touching. Liam Mendez is

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<v Speaker 1>a journalist with The Australian and he's been covering the

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<v Speaker 1>long awaited trial of Alan Jones. Lim from the outside,

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<v Speaker 1>this feels like a very big deal, this trial, even

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<v Speaker 1>though it's in the local court. What's that scene been like?

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<v Speaker 4>This is a huge trial and you know this is

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<v Speaker 4>Alan Jones, one of the biggest names in Australian broadcasting.

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<v Speaker 3>Now right across Australia.

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<v Speaker 5>Alan Jones, she's a clown.

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<v Speaker 2>Jacinderada in a complete clown. I just wonder whether Scott Morrison's.

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<v Speaker 4>You know, I certainly grew up listening to him. A

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<v Speaker 4>lot of Australians, did you know he had a huge

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<v Speaker 4>amount of power in Australian media. So it's quite extraordinary

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<v Speaker 4>sort of watching him walk into Downing Center Court every

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<v Speaker 4>day and sitting down. He sits down in the same

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<v Speaker 4>seat and he's gagged. He's not saying anything. At this stage,

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<v Speaker 4>we don't know whether he's going to be called as

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<v Speaker 4>a witness. He may, he may not. If he does,

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<v Speaker 4>it'll be quite extraordinary because then he'll be put up

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<v Speaker 4>to cross examination by the Crown. And seeing someone like

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<v Speaker 4>Alan Jones appearing and being cross examined will be something

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<v Speaker 4>that you know, I think a lot of people will

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<v Speaker 4>be fascinated with you reading about.

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<v Speaker 1>He's facing a couple of dozen charges involving sexual touching

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<v Speaker 1>of young men who came into his orbit over the years,

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<v Speaker 1>and we really do have to cast our minds back

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<v Speaker 1>to him as this very powerful broadcaster. He kind of

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<v Speaker 1>lived like the King of Sydney, didn't he in his

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<v Speaker 1>amazing apartment down near Circular Key. He had a farm

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<v Speaker 1>and he offered patronage to these young men. According to

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<v Speaker 1>what the Crown is putting before the court, what forms

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<v Speaker 1>did that patronage take.

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<v Speaker 4>We're getting an extraordinarily detailed look inside the life of

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<v Speaker 4>Alan Jones. When he was in his absolute heyday, he

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<v Speaker 4>was being chauffeur driven around by very young men. He

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<v Speaker 4>was giving out mobile phones. You know, Alan Jones is

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<v Speaker 4>someone who has a chef, a butler. He had everyone

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<v Speaker 4>sort of running around doing things for him.

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<v Speaker 1>You know.

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<v Speaker 4>He was someone that if you were the Prime Minister

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<v Speaker 4>and Alan Jones called you, you would be picking up

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<v Speaker 4>that phone call. He was someone that was incredibly feared.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, Alan Jones's life was amazingly luxurious. He was so wealthy,

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<v Speaker 1>even though he reported to speak up for what he

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<v Speaker 1>called struggle street listeners who were down on theirk or

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<v Speaker 1>who just ordinary Australians trying to get by. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a very evocative foreshadowing of some evidence that's going to

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<v Speaker 1>be heard from one of the complainants about him going

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<v Speaker 1>to Ellen Jones's apartment admiring the flowers and then receiving

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<v Speaker 1>a floral display once a week for a year from

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<v Speaker 1>Alan Jones. The implication is that this was some sort

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<v Speaker 1>of active courtship or of love bombing, and that was

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<v Speaker 1>an interesting insight into these allegations, isn't it. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I suspect Alan Jones if he is going to give evidence,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll say that these were acts of generosity and kindness.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned giving someone a mobile phone. Do you get

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<v Speaker 1>that sense that that's how this is.

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<v Speaker 4>Going to go? Absolutely, and the Crown is certainly forming

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<v Speaker 4>its case on allegations that Jones was grooming, at least

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<v Speaker 4>especially this first witness who has been before the court.

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<v Speaker 4>We're talking about a huge amount of money that was

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<v Speaker 4>deposited into his bank account. It's really interesting to see

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<v Speaker 4>how the Crown is sort of trying to paint this

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<v Speaker 4>picture of this life that Alan Jones had.

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<v Speaker 1>Jay told the court he met Jones when he was

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<v Speaker 1>a promising young athlete. He said he received regular payments

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<v Speaker 1>from Jones over several years, purportedly to support his athletic career.

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<v Speaker 1>He described incidents of unwanted kissing and touching by Jones,

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<v Speaker 1>which he said started when he was seventeen. He described

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<v Speaker 1>one incident, which he said happened at Jones's country property

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<v Speaker 1>at Fitzroy Falls, south of Sydney.

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<v Speaker 3>The defendant told me to go and have a shower

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<v Speaker 3>and come back in a robe, and nothing else.

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<v Speaker 5>Of another incident, Jay said it was.

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<v Speaker 3>Another trapped moment. I was completely frozen.

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<v Speaker 1>Gabrielle Basher Cross examined Jay about one of the incidents

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<v Speaker 1>where he said Jones had ordered him to take off

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<v Speaker 1>his clothes.

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<v Speaker 2>You must have understood that this was some kind of

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<v Speaker 2>suggestion of getting ready for sexual activity. Yes, you could

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<v Speaker 2>have put your pants back on.

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<v Speaker 3>I could have.

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<v Speaker 1>Basher put it to Jay, who came forward after media

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<v Speaker 1>reports about Jones's alleged offending that he had made up

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<v Speaker 1>his story.

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<v Speaker 2>He never said he'd pull the money if you didn't

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<v Speaker 2>do what he wanted.

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<v Speaker 3>Did he No? But I didn't like when he was

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<v Speaker 3>disappointed in me. It was not a good time, not

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<v Speaker 3>a good feeling.

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<v Speaker 1>Jay described an incident where he and Jones kissed and

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<v Speaker 1>their naked bodies touched.

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<v Speaker 3>I was very scared in that room. That was as

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<v Speaker 3>scared as I've ever been.

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<v Speaker 1>Jay described another incident where he and Jones were both

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<v Speaker 1>wearing robes and their penises touched.

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<v Speaker 2>This account you've given of penis wiggling is an attempt

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<v Speaker 2>to humiliate mister Jones, isn't it.

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<v Speaker 3>No.

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<v Speaker 5>Jay also told the court Jones's penis quote wasn't very big.

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<v Speaker 2>You wouldn't know because you've never seen mister Jones's penis.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I have.

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<v Speaker 1>Some of Basher's cross examination was briefly suppressed, but when

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<v Speaker 1>the non publication order was lifted, journalists could reveal her

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<v Speaker 1>lines of attack, including putting to Jay that he had

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<v Speaker 1>a financial motivation.

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<v Speaker 5>For accusing Jones.

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<v Speaker 1>So you watched that cross examination unfold, but couldn't report

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<v Speaker 1>on it at the time. I guess he still had

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<v Speaker 1>to be frantically making notes right in case it became unsuppressed.

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<v Speaker 4>That's right. And it's been really fascinating watching Jay as

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<v Speaker 4>we're allowed to refer to him as you know, giving

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<v Speaker 4>this evidence. He's thinking very carefully about what he's saying.

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<v Speaker 4>And part of what was suppressed was that he was

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<v Speaker 4>a former police officer, and so he has actually had

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<v Speaker 4>some form of training of giving evidence in court, and

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<v Speaker 4>that is part of what was suppressed. We're allowed to

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<v Speaker 4>report on that now.

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<v Speaker 1>Gabrielle Bushi also put it to him that he had

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<v Speaker 1>a financial motive for making these allegations against Jones.

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<v Speaker 5>What did he say to that?

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<v Speaker 4>He said, there was absolutely no financial motive. He even

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<v Speaker 4>said that, you know, he's willing to sign a document

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<v Speaker 4>to so that he'd never launch civil proceedings against mister Jones,

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<v Speaker 4>no matter what the outcome of this would be. He's saying,

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<v Speaker 4>he's made it very clear that he's got a young

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<v Speaker 4>daughter and he wants to show her that what happened

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<v Speaker 4>to him, what he says happened to him, wasn't a

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<v Speaker 4>right thing. Witness Day is going to be one of many,

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<v Speaker 4>many witnesses. There's also other witnesses that are set to

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<v Speaker 4>come that are related to him. This is going to

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<v Speaker 4>be a three to four.

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<v Speaker 5>Month long trial.

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<v Speaker 4>We've got other high profile people, including as Steve Jackson

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<v Speaker 4>is going to reveal in mediadary that Ray Hadley is

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<v Speaker 4>going to be called as a witness, So there's been

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<v Speaker 4>some mention of that. There is some other names that

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<v Speaker 4>we can't say who they are. We know who they are,

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<v Speaker 4>but we're talking about some incredibly high profile people who

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<v Speaker 4>are going to be appearing in this case.

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<v Speaker 1>In her opening address, Bash has said Hadley a long

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<v Speaker 1>time on air colleague and rival of Jones, had deliberately

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<v Speaker 1>helped facilitate media reporting of allegations against her client.

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<v Speaker 5>That was just part of.

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<v Speaker 1>What Bash has said was quote rivalry, treachery, double dealing, money, hatred, desperation,

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<v Speaker 1>opportunism and more.

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<v Speaker 5>At the heart of the case.

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<v Speaker 1>Coming up, how the eighty five year old Jones is

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<v Speaker 1>spending his days in court. What's been your sense of

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<v Speaker 1>Alan Jones's demeanor in the witness box and as he

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<v Speaker 1>walks in and out of court each day.

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<v Speaker 4>I've been sitting about two and a half meters behind him,

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<v Speaker 4>to his right, so I can sort of watch him

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<v Speaker 4>very closely. You know, he's cracking the odd laugh when

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<v Speaker 4>the rest of the court is laughing. He appears very relaxed.

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<v Speaker 4>He's always there with his legs crossed, his vigorously taking notes.

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<v Speaker 4>A note taking has increased since the cross examination has commenced.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact, you revealed in The Australian in Our Life

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<v Speaker 1>blog that he was noting things down in a one

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<v Speaker 1>nation notepad.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, that's right. On Wednesday he had this one nation

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<v Speaker 4>notepad and you know it's a three dollar notepad that's

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<v Speaker 4>sold out. Actually on the One Nation website after it

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<v Speaker 4>is One Nation merch he's got Pauline hands in the

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<v Speaker 4>bottom right hand corner. And then, mysteriously, I'm not sure

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<v Speaker 4>if it's because we wrote about it. Not long after

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<v Speaker 4>we wrote about it, he returned from lunch with just

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<v Speaker 4>a generic reporter's notepad, so that One Nation notepad is

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<v Speaker 4>I don't know where it's gone. And now it's just

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<v Speaker 4>this scruffy, old like reporters notepad that he's using, and

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<v Speaker 4>he's making a lot of notes. He's showing things to

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<v Speaker 4>Brian Wrench, who is his high profile instructing solicitor next

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<v Speaker 4>to him, and Brian sort of has a look, and

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<v Speaker 4>then Brian's sometimes passing little notes between some solicitors on

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<v Speaker 4>the team. But most of the time, you know, Alan

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<v Speaker 4>is clearly listening intently. He's thinking a lot, He's making

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<v Speaker 4>lots of notes. He's not always looking at the screen.

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<v Speaker 4>Sometimes he's looking straight ahead. But you know, he gets up,

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<v Speaker 4>he's off in the first one, up and out of

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<v Speaker 4>the room after lunch has been called. On the first day,

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<v Speaker 4>he had a supporter in court before the court was closed,

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<v Speaker 4>and you know he's sort of cracking jokes with this

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<v Speaker 4>supporter the supporter sat behind him and he got it

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<v Speaker 4>up and I said something along the lines of oh,

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<v Speaker 4>I hope you don't cough on me or something like that,

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<v Speaker 4>and whacked him with his cane. So that's sort of

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<v Speaker 4>that Alan Jones spanter that he's known for having.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's going to be an epic trial. I hope

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<v Speaker 1>you've got lots of notebooks up your sleeve. Lim, Thank

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<v Speaker 1>you very much, thank you. La Mendez is a reporter

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<v Speaker 1>with The Australian. We're covering this story live at the

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<v Speaker 1>Australian dot com dot are you