Senator Nick Xenophon’s second attempt to hold an inquiry into allegations against the Australian branch of the Church of Scientology has been defeated.
The motion to examine the church’s affairs was voted down 33 to 6 with the Greens supporting the motion and the Liberals Bill Heffernan abstaining.
The South Australian senator told the House he had heard allegations from former members that the church had committed criminal acts, including harassment, while enjoying tax-free status in Australia.
“This is not about belief systems. This is about behaviour,” Sen. Xenophon told the Senate.
“When we have mounting evidence of cases of abuse, of cases where this organisation says it is above the law because of its own court system … then I think that’s worth looking at,” he continued.
The Church has denied the allegations saying in a statement to the senator’s previous attempt to hold an inquiry into the church’s tax-free status that none of the activities alleged by Senator Xenophon had been proven.
“Many of the incidents Senator Xenophon has referred to have previously been investigated by police, coroners and other agencies and no adverse finding has been made against the Church or any Church official,” Australian church spokesperson Ms Vicki Dunstan said.
“The Church has provided Senators and MPs with a comprehensive rebuttal of the allegations made by a very small number of disaffected former members through Senator Xenophon,” she added.
Labor Senator Chris Evans said he had voted against the motion because he believed inquiry into individual organisations was not the correct use of Senate process.
“I’m not a great supporter of what I’ve seen of the operations of either the Exclusive Brethren or the Church of Scientology,” the ABC quoted Government Senate Leader Chris Evans as saying.
“What I am strongly against is any suggestion that the Senate processes be used in a way which I don’t think fits with the Senate.”
However Senator Xenophon told the Senate he would persist with his attempts to hold an inquiry into the church saying it was an “.. issue that won’t go away.”
Parliament resumes in May.
By Rich Bowden:
Source: theAngle Australasian/Pacific News Coverage
Net News Publisher for World News
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