Hadley admits homophobic slurs in Jones trial testimony over $4m radio deal

Ray Hadley sat in the witness box at Downing Centre local court on his second day of testimony, answering questions about language he had used against his former colleague Alan Jones. Under cross-examination by defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC, Hadley acknowledged that he had called Jones a homophobic slur in a text message, along with other derogatory names. The admission came as part of a trial in which Jones, now 85, faces 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching involving six men. Jones has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The tension between the two broadcasters had roots in a business arrangement that fell apart in 2019. Late in 2018, 2GB management had approached Hadley with an offer: a secret $4 million contract to take over Jones's breakfast radio slot. The station, Hadley testified, had grown tired of Jones and the legal battles he was fighting at the time. Hadley said he accepted the offer despite his reservations about the early morning hours. "I didn't want to get out of bed at 1.30am, but the money made me do it," he told the court. The arrangement never came to pass. In May 2019, 2GB withdrew the offer and instead re-signed Jones for two more years.

Hadley's response to this reversal became central to the defence strategy. Bashir suggested that Hadley had been devastated by the loss of the breakfast slot, the pinnacle of his career. Hadley pushed back, saying he had maintained his existing job on the Ray Hadley Morning Show and that his salary had effectively doubled as a result of the failed negotiation. "Going from $2m to $4m" while keeping his current position was the real pinnacle, he argued. Still, the court heard evidence of the animosity that developed between them. Hadley admitted he often called Jones a "grub." In one text message shown during cross-examination, he had used a homophobic slur. In another instance, after walking into Jones's office in 2019 following an unrelated assault allegation against himself, Hadley had called Jones "a cunt and a dog."

That assault allegation against Hadley had been dropped when 2GB security footage showed nothing had occurred. But the incident seemed to crystallize the deteriorating relationship. Hadley told police in 2019 that Jones had recruited colleagues at the station to "dig up some dirt" on him. Under questioning, Hadley confirmed that a colleague had told him Jones had "marshalled the troops and said 'Dig up some dirt on Hadley'." Hadley acknowledged he had harboured "an animosity towards [Jones] at that time."

Bashir's defence strategy has been to frame the allegations against Jones as a product of workplace rivalry and personal vendetta. She has argued that the case amounts to "trial by media" fuelled by "hatred and jealousy," and that Hadley wanted to "destroy" Jones and "tear him apart." The defence barrister also pressed Hadley on a text message in which he had written to Jones, who was dealing with health problems: "I love you." Bashir suggested the message was insincere, calling it "rubbish." The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues, with the credibility of witness testimony and the motivations behind the allegations remaining contested.