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Hillsong founder Brian Houston has been described as 'an ungrateful twat' by the NSW Police Minister days after he was charged with concealing child sex allegations against his father.

The 67-year-old 'global senior pastor' was on Thursday accused of failing to report his dead father Frank's historic sexual abuse of a seven-year-old boy. 

But the pastor was not in the state to face the allegations after he was already given an exemption to escape 'Fortress Australia' to travel to Mexico earlier this year.

Police Minister David Elliott claims it isn't the first time Houston has received what he describes as 'preferential treatment'.

The pastor was not in the state to face the allegations after he was already given an exemption to escape 'Fortress Australia' to travel to Mexico with his wife (pictured together) earlier this year

Police Minister David Elliott claims it isn't the first time Houston has received 'preferential treatment'

'Last year he had to go overseas and he wanted preferential treatment to go into a five-star suite. We arranged it,' Mr Elliott told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'[This is] despite the fact that the Pope, President Biden and Foreign Minister Marise Payne can do most of their work remotely... and he's just a suburban preacher. Then he criticised our Covid policy. He's an ungrateful twat.'

Mr Elliott said he was appalled to learn Houston travelled to Mexico during the pandemic, appearing to leave his parishioners high-and-dry during one of the most difficult times imaginable.

Houston's church is within Mr Elliott's electorate, and he recently spent time with a man whose 12-year-old niece took her own life, partially due to the strain of lockdown.

Mr Elliott claims the man turned to his local MP after realising his pastor, Houston, was out of town and not returning any time soon.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with Brian Houston - who has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' to the PM

Brian and Bobbie Houston have been travelling in Mexico and the United States despite Australia's closed border and 'Fortress Australia' restrictions

'Houston was nowhere to be seen, he was in Mexico,' Mr Elliott said. '

And at that time, I didn't know that the local constabulary were putting a brief together to charge him with allegedly concealing child abuse.'

Australian citizens have been struggling to enter and exit Australia since the international borders were slammed shut in mid-March 2020 in response to the global threat of Covid-19.

Some 35,000 Australians are stranded overseas, desperately awaiting a flight home, where they will be required to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense. 

The Australian Border Force has granted just 43 per cent of the travel exemption applications that were lodged in the first half of this year.

Frank Houston (pictured with wife Hazel) died in 2004 aged 82. He had confessed to having a sexual interest in young boys prior to his death, including abusing a seven-year-old boy in 1969 and 1970

Houston and his wife Bobbie, who is also a global senior pastor, were both granted exemptions this year and in 2020.    

Houston has been described as a 'spiritual mentor' of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the country's first evangelical PM. 

In 2019, Mr Morrison put Houston's name forward to be formally invited to a White House state dinner with former US president Donald Trump, but the request was declined.  

'He is setting a shocking example to the millions of Australians forced into lockdown and I can't think of a more hypocritical set of values for a so-called Christian leader,' Mr Elliott said.

'My phone has gone crazy given the challenges facing the very people he claims to offer pastoral care to.'

Houston and his wife Bobbie, who is also a global senior pastor, were both granted exemptions this year and in 2020 

Mr Elliott has vowed to 'never step foot in it again as long as [Mr Houston] is leader.'   

Seven years ago, a royal commission found that Frank had confessed to having abusing the young boy during trips to Sydney in 1969 and 1970. 

It determined Houston was made aware of the allegations in 1999.  

But when the claims eventually came to light, detectives will allege Brian didn't report the crimes to NSW Police. 

The Hillsong co-founder will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. If found guilty, he faces up to five years' jail.   

Houston is expected to return to Australia to defend himself.

The Hillsong co-founder will 'vehemently' defend the case in court. If found guilty, he faces up to five years' jail

Hours after charges were laid, Hillsong released a statement to all parishioners, urging them to 'afford Houston the presumption of innocence and due process as is his right'.

'These charges relate to many years ago when Pastor Brian found out about his father's actions. We have always been open and transparent with the church about his father Frank, and Pastor Brian has shared his pain with you many times over the past twenty years.' 

In a previous statement, the board of Hillsong church in Australia said: 'Upon being told of his father's actions, Brian Houston confronted his father, reported the matter to the National Executive Assemblies of God in Australia, relayed the matter to the governing board of Sydney Christian Life Centre, and subsequently made a public announcement to the church.' 

Hillsong grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west and has enjoyed an enormous global following, including A-list stars like former members Justin and Hailey Bieber.

The church has outposts in 28 countries and a popular record label - all of which could be put at risk if its co-founder was found guilty of a crime.  

Hillsong grew out of an evangelical church in Sydney's north-west and has enjoyed an enormous global following, including A-list stars like former members Justin and Hailey Bieber

Frank Houston stepped down as a pastor and died in 2004, aged 82, after arranging for the victim to be paid $10,000 at a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant. 

Brian Houston didn't report the matter to the police claiming he didn't think it was appropriate because the victim was 35 or 36 years old at the time.  

Houston has also claimed the victim told him in a phone conversation that he didn't want the matter pursued by authorities. 

The victim denied this conversation ever took place.

Houston must prove that he had a 'reasonable excuse' not to notify police by way of meeting three criteria. 

The accused must believe the victim did not want the information reported to police, must have learned of the crime only after the victim became and adult and the offences must be of a sexual or domestic nature.  

He will face Sydney's Downing Centre Court on October 25. 

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