Australian Prime Minister Concerned About Scientology
November 18, 2009 by XENU TV
Filed under Latest News
It keeps getting better. After Senator Xenophon introduced letters from former Scientologists detailing abuses by Scientology and calling it a criminal organization, the Prime Minister has said he has concerns of his own and will review these complaints.
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has “concerns” about the Church of Scientology and intends to examine documents tabled in the Senate last night.
Mr Rudd said today he was aware of independent Senator Nick Xenophon’s call for a Senate inquiry into Scientology.
“These are grave allegations which he is making,” Mr Rudd said in Bungendore.
“Many people in Australia have real concerns about Scientology.
“I share some of those concerns.
“But let us proceed carefully, and look carefully at the material which he has provided, before we make a decision on further parliamentary action.”
Senator Xenophon has referred seven letters from ex-Scientologists – which he tabled in the Senate last night – to the NSW Police for investigation.
The letters allege abuses including coerced abortions, assault, imprisonment, covering up sexual abuse, embezzlement of church funds and blackmail.
In a statement, the church has accused Senator Xenophon of “an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege”.
“Senator Xenophon’s attempt to marginalise Scientologists by saying that they should not be believed, is fascistic and violates freedom of speech and the right to religious beliefs,” it says.
“It is former members or apostates that are notoriously unreliable as witnesses.”
The Church of Scientology – founded by by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in 1953 – was granted tax-exempt status after the High Court ruled it to be a religion in 1983.
Is a return to an Autralian ban a possibility?
In Australia’s honor, I will name my future son Crocodile Dundee.
I don’t think a ban will occur, although one can only hope. I am optimistic that this isn’t all ‘huff and puff’ and that something will get done, but you never know.
Would be nice to clear their tax exempt status at the least, and possibly push for more from there. Definitely smiling with all the media coverage that this is getting!
I do not expect a ban either,
however it does raise the awareness to new levels (in the Australia public), and thus potentially have an effect on new recruits, who would otherwise not be aware of the many COS controversies.
I agree with Interested. The important thing here is to keep these stories coming thick and fast. $cientology is already a dirty name among the public. We should just keep chipping away. WBM and the Old Guard have been doing this for years. Just keep going.
An army of ants is much more powerful than any elephant.
It is interesting how Mr Xenophon addressed this issue, he done so in the saftey of a parliment meeting where he cannot be sued for his statements. Good on you mr xenophon he was defently thinking about how he could get the word out without repercustions.
i dont think a ban will come either but i can only hope for something to smear their name even further. it’s interesting how the senator’s name is xeno…. (mmm xenu anyone?). anyway down with scientology!!. i think if they lose Tom cruise and travolta the ‘church’ will start to crumble. if only they can lose those two. the word ‘church’ in front of scientology makes a lot of people scared not knowing that it has nothing to do with the christian church.
I think there’s some compelling stories, in the seven who came forward, like the man who lost not one, but two small daughters to cult “accidents” and was forced by the cult to cut short any investigation.
These people are not only telling stories of how they were victimized, but also the control they were under to victimize others. How they lie to others, and are trained to lie to themselves, as part of standard practice. They will talk about the policies and methods, how Scientology makes people put “Keep Scientology Working” above all else. About the pressure people are put under to pay these large sums of money, like the Australian soldier who electrocuted himself and had taken out over $20,000 in loans to pay for Scientology “donations.” And then the cult, moves his records out of the country when an investigation begins.
Their stories are more horrifying and just as important as Scientology’s high school dropout cult leader (and high school dropout Tom Cruise’s best friend), David Miscavige, beating his underlings. But it is all adding up to the perfect storm.
Senator Xenophon? you couldnt make it up
As an Australian concerned about Scientology I really hope Kevin Rudd takes this seriously and does take steps towards banning it as a religion however I sadly have my doubts.
Don’t place too great a hope on Kevin Rudd. He’s very good at saying something and then doing absolutely nothing about it.