Bob Hawke’s family speaks up on daughter’s rape allegations
Bob Hawke’s family has spoken up on the allegations made by his youngest daughter.
Rosslyn Dillon has reportedly claimed she was raped by former Victorian Labor MP Bill Landeryou but was urged by her father not to report the assaults to protect his leadership ambitions.
The allegations were part of a 25-page affidavit submitted in the New South Wales supreme court as part of Dillon’s legal challenge against her father’s $18 million estate, The New Daily reported.
In the document, Dillon claims Landeryou, who died in February this year, sexually assaulted her three times in the 1980s.
Dillon alleges her father told her to remain silent about the claims, saying, “You can’t go to the police. You can’t. I can’t have any controversies right now. I am sorry but I am challenging for the leadership of the Labor Party.”
Dillon said she was “shocked and hurt” by her father’s request. “I thought to myself I could not make any bigger sacrifice to [my father’s] political career if I had tried,” she reported in the affidavit.
“He asked me to let the matter go for him and I did so for him.
“I am still haunted by the sexual assaults. I feel that I may have had a chance to get over these rapes if I was able to report the incidents to police.”
Dillon’s sister Sue Pieters-Hawke told the publication the Hawke family had been aware of the allegations.
“I love and support my sister,” Pieters-Hawke said. “She did tell people at the time. I believe there was a supportive response but it didn’t involve using the legal system.”
On Monday, Pieters-Hawke was again asked about her sister’s allegations in an event commemorating what would have been her father’s 90th birthday.
“I think that’s the subject of an affidavit which may or may not be tested in court and I’m not going to comment on any of that,” she said.
Asked whether the allegations might change people’s perception of her father, Pieters-Hawke said, “I hope not. I think it would be foolish if they did and I think as many of you [would] be foolish if you contributed to that.”
Dillon’s step-brother Louis Pratt said he learned about the claims from the news. “We’re all surprised, obviously. Because I know that Bob loved Rosslyn very much and I know what his character is, so it’s surprising,” Pratt said.
Hawke’s will awarded $750,000 for each of his three children and his stepson Pratt, with the remainder of the estate going to his wife Blanche d’Alpuget.
Dillon is making a $4 million claim on her father’s estate.
Hawke’s first bid for the Labor leadership in July 1982 was unsuccessful. He went on to succeed Bill Hayden as Labor leader the following year and won the March 5 election to become prime minister.