You quote John Kaye's statement to Parliament about the former Scientology leader Marty Rathbun ("Intimidating and violent: defector", December 2). Mr Rathbun was removed from his position related to legal and public relations matters in the US in 1993, after having inexplicably deserted his post. He later returned and worked his way back into legal affairs. By 2002 his malfeasance became apparent and he was removed from any position of executive authority. The internal investigation leading to his removal also ...

A MELBOURNE school linked to the controversial Church of Scientology received $300,000 in funding from the federal stimulus package. Yarralinda, in Mooroolbark, is one of two schools in Australia that uses the teaching methods of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently expressed concerns about the Church of Scientology after independent senator Nick Xenophon made serious claims against the organisation under parliamentary privilege. Last week, the State Government told its schools not to distribute materials by a Scientology-funded ...

A former Scientology leader says bullying is widespread in the church, writes investigations reporter Nick O'Malley. Coerced abortion, violence, intimidation and demands for ever greater "donations" have become unofficial Church of Scientology policy, beginning at its Florida head office and leaching around the world, the church's most senior defector has said. Marty Rathbun, who until 2004 was the church's second-most powerful man, answering only to the present leader, David Miscavige, said the church leadership was obsessed with destroying dissent and increasing ...

NSW police are investigating allegations of abuse and bullying in the Church of Scientology made in a series of letters from former members tabled in Federal Parliament by independent senator Nick Xenophon. The most senior executive to defect from the church, US-based Marty Rathbun, has said the allegations, including coercion to have abortions and donate money, were unwritten church policy, dictated from its head office, according to a speech by Greens MP John Kaye in the NSW upper house. "My office ...

A man who blames the Church of Scientology for his brother's suicide added his voice Monday to calls for an Australia Senate inquiry into the religion. Belfast-born Stephen McBride, 35, flew from the west coast city of Perth to Canberra on Monday to support a senator's call for an inquiry into the church. The Senate could vote as early as Tuesday on Sen Nick Xenophon's motion to hold a wide-reaching inquiry into the church that was founded in 1953 by the ...

Senator Nick Xenophon's stunning attack on the Church of Scientology this week has shone a light on a worldwide group many former members accuse of ruining their lives through fear and abuse. SCIENTOLOGISTS lured Dean Detheridge off the street using their tried and tested technique of offering a personality test. He wasn't much interested, but they were extremely skilled and persistent persuaders, and he found he couldn't say no. Seven days later he was on staff in what turned out to ...

EVEN for a religion started by a science fiction writer, the allegations levelled against the Church of Scientology in federal parliament this week sound stranger than fiction. Blackmail, cover-ups of child abuse, labour camps, embezzlement and coerced abortions are spelled out among the 53 pages of allegations by seven former Scientologists - some of whom had climbed high in the church hierarchy - tabled in the Senate. In what the church has decried as "an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege", independent ...

The Church of Scientology says independent senator Nick Xenophon ignored an invitation to meet with church officials before he used parliamentary privilege to attack the organisation. Church of Scientology Australia president Reverend Vicki Dunstan said Senator Xenophon "made no effort to ascertain the truth or falsity of the allegations he made in the Senate on Tuesday night". Senator Xenophon used parliamentary privilege to raise allegations of criminal misconduct on behalf of ex-members of the church, and called for an inquiry into ...

THE Church of Scientology has invoked "confessional privilege" for its refusal to hand over files to the Queensland Coroner. An inquest into the death of Edward Alexander McBride – a soldier who killed himself two days after finishing one of the church's intensive courses in 2007 – revealed last week his "audit" file had been sent to the church's US headquarters. Scientology spokeswoman Vicki Dunstan yesterday said the file requested by the Coroner was "privileged and sacrosanct". "Essentially these are notations ...

THE Church of Scientology refused to provide records demanded by a coroner investigating the death of a soldier who committed suicide two days after finishing one of the church's intensive courses. It emerged yesterday that the American headquarters of the church instructed its Australian branch to send the soldier's "audit file" to the US — which is outside the coroner's jurisdiction — before warrants were issued. Edward Alexander McBride was found electrocuted and hanged at an Energex substation at Everton Park, ...

THE Church of Scientology plans to spend $12 million upgrading its Sydney headquarters, but faces a ban on trawling the street outside the building for new recruits. The group's controversial plans include building an extra level on its Castlereagh St premises, and renovating the facade of the heritage building. Neighbours and businesses have objected to the proposed upgrade at Scientology House, citing aggressive recruitment tactics, nuisance, loss of view, extra pollution and heritage concerns. City of Sydney councillors will vote on ...

MARK COLVIN: The Church of Scientology is at the centre of an unholy row in the South Australian Parliament. The Liberal Opposition claimed in Parliament that it had emails and invoices from a Labor source. It said these confirmed that Scientology had made a $20,000 donation to the Labor Party, and was getting special favours from the Premier Mike Rann. But the Labor Party says all the documents are fake and that the Liberals have been duped. Now the Deputy Premier ...

THE Church of Scientology has appealed for religious tolerance after its $12 million bid to redevelop its Sydney headquarters sparked fears from neighbours of an increase in "menacing" and "aggressive" recruitment tactics. The church has sought approval from the City of Sydney to add two floors to its five-storey building, Scientology House, on Castlereagh Street. The increased floor space would help turn the building into an "Ideal Org", the name Scientologists give to their most significant churches. But almost 150 people ...