Retired radio star Ray Hadley claims he was targeted by Alan Jones after his then-colleague dubbed him disloyal for going after his coveted breakfast timeslot, in his final pieces of evidence before Jones’ indecent assault trial.
In his third and final day in the witness box, Hadley discussed his “complicated” 35-year relationship with Jones, who stands accused of kissing and touching the penis and buttocks of six complainants between 2003 and 2020.
Although he said he probably harboured animosity towards Jones, Hadley refuted the defence’s claim he was trying to “destroy” Jones by colluding with Complainant C, one of the six alleged victims in the case.
Hadley claimed Jones was set on bringing him down well before C’s allegations were published by the Sydney Morning Herald in December 2019.
“I’d been targeted by Mr Jones when he found out that I’d signed a contract to take his position, even though I never took his position,” Hadley said.
“He was targeting me because he thought I was disloyal.”
Hadley told the court his former rival had asked 2GB staff to “dig up dirt” on him after he signed a “secret contract” to take over Jones’ breakfast show in December 2018.
“Anything they could to white ant me, white ant my program, just generally make life more difficult for me,” he said.
The court heard the former radio rivals had a “very complicated” relationship.
“We were both under tremendous pressure constantly to deliver and, as a result, it was a tumultuous relationship, sometimes warm and friendly and sometimes hostile,” Hadley said.
Asked why he sent Jones friendly texts, including things like “love, Hadley” and “35 years is a long time old mate” in 2019 and 2020, Hadley said it was “common courtesy” because Jones had sent a kind message first.
“Our relationship was very complicated. We went from being very close to very distant. He was gracious. I returned it,” he said.
Hadley said much of his success as a broadcaster was due to Jones and he was “appreciative of what he did for me”.
In saying that, he added that they also had “stand-up brawls” and Jones had said in the past “he’d never work with me again”.
In her re-examination, prosecutor Georgina Wright SC took Hadley to a text read aloud in court on Wednesday, in which he told C that Jones “needs to be destroyed”.
Asked to clarify why he said that, Hadley said the rest of the message read “for what he did to you”.
“It was in reference to the proceedings we’re here about at the moment,” he said.
“I said I’d stick by him (C) and I’d support him in every way, no matter what course of action he decided to take, and that’s why I’m here today.”
In the last part of her cross-examination of Hadley, Jones’ barrister, Gabrielle Bashir SC, suggested he had given untrue evidence about the conversation he had with Complainant C in October 2019, when the young man first alleged Jones had assaulted him.
Hadley said he rejected that entirely.
Ms Bashir also probed him on his contact with columnist Peter FitzSimons around that time.
Hadley agreed that in addition to the phone call he facilitated between FitzSimons and C, he had two further calls with the journalist in October 2019.
“I think he was pressing me on the identity of (C)’ at the time. I wouldn’t tell them (the Sydney Morning Herald),” he said.
Hadley also confirmed he had several other conversations with C in October 2019, but said that was because the man was “in a fragile state”.
On his way out of court, Hadley spoke briefly to the media but said he couldn’t answer any questions for fear of jeopardising the trial.
Hadley made his first appearance as a witness in Jones’s trial on Tuesday, when he was questioned about allegations Jones repeatedly kissed and touched Complainant C.
The alleged victim, who worked at 2GB, is one of six complainants who have accused Jones of assault.
Jones has pleaded not guilty to all 20 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching levelled against him.
