
I was absolutely thrilled when it was confirmed that controversial media personality Derryn Hinch had won a seat in the Federal Senate. He’s never been given the proper credit he deserves for fighting for the rights of child sexual abuse victims, for the right to be safe, for the right to know their abuser will be put away for a long, long time.
I’ve never understood why Hinch has always been mocked for his tough talk and strong opinions. His straight-talking puts a lot of people on the wrong side, leading them to grasp at straws in a pathetic attempt to discredit him.
Such as the serious accusation that he had sex with an underage 15-year-old girl when he attended one of music legend Molly Meldrum’s blow-out parties.
He told the story in his 2004 memoir The Rise and Fall of Derryn Hinch, explaining that he met the girl who was a beautiful model and assumed she was aged 25, however later found out she was 15. However in a 2013 clarification, Hinch explained that due to those self-destructive and alcohol-fueled years, he’d misremembered and was contacted by the girl in question who explained that she was closer to 18.
The story was twisted and turned and used against Hinch with some calling him a paedophile. Hinch admits he's made mistakes, but that shouldn't take away from the amazing work he does on behalf of our most vulnerable.
If half of Australian politicians had half of Hinch's backbone and tenacity we wouldn't be in the pathetically weak political position we are in now.
Politicians speak in "political tongue" using stupid phrases such as "let me be clear" when they are anything but clear and almost-barely-PM Malcolm Turnbull's most recent "jobs and growth" ridiculousness.