Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon takes on Scientology. He said the following under parliamentary privilege, which means that he cannot be sued by the organisation for defamation.
”The letters received by me which were written by former followers in Australia contain extensive allegations of crimes and abuses that are truly shocking – crimes against them and crimes they say they were coerced into committing.
[snip]
Senator Xenophon said their correspondence implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
There’s a full transcript of a report on Radio National’s AM program [link] where Sabra Lane speaks to a CoS spokesman.
CYRUS BROOKS: It’s an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege from a Senator who would not even meet with us several months ago to discuss his concerns.
SABRA LANE: I’ve spoken with the Senator’s office this morning, and the office says that offer has never been made.
For more information on some of the strategies commonly used by Scientology in response to negative press, and the persecutions documented against people who have been declared Suppressive Persons (betcha Xenophon’s on the list) check out Operation Clambake.
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And here’s a PDF link to the Senate Hansard proof (it’s p73-76).
It’s one of the better dumps under Parliamentary privilege I’ve read.
I find myself wondering whether the good Senator knows what he’s getting into with this attack on an organisation which is notorious for not allowing them to go unanswered. I suspect he does, since he made the attack under parliamentary privilege, but then again, I doubt the CoS will stop at legal action. The next election in his state could become quite … interesting.
True, but as a senator, he has an six year term, so he’s got a long time before he has to deal with that sort of possible fall-0ut.
I don’t think the good Senator has much to fear from any legitimate voters campaign at the next election going on the census figures below. He should be more worried about extremely dodgy action by scientology though. If he even once had a boil on his arse removed and a scietologist was anywhere near his records – it will be made public.
October 2003
Australian Census numbers of scientologists
Year – Number
1996 – 1488
2001 – 2032
2002 – 1027
2003 – 741
Scientologist numbers are dropping rapidly. Anonymous got a hold of a wounded horse and backed up the right Old Guard members to make this blow and I gotta say, it’s pretty sweet to see.
It made my morning to see this story in the headlines. I thought I was hallucinating, or that the iGoogle feed was playing tricks with me for a minute there.
I can assure you, South Australia’s severe case of Xenophillia will ensure Nifty Nick’s re-election regardless of whatever the CoS can throw at him. He’s very well regarded here in Adelaide.
Annabel Crabb calls it Xenuphobia.
Funny, I just realized that headline could describe almost any church.It took me a while to figure out that you were talking about the Scientologists.