The Wire

Independent Senator, Nick Xenophon, has dropped a bombshell on the Church of Scientology, using his parliamentary privilege to accuse the church of being a criminal organisation. Now he wants to hit them where it hurts – in the back pocket – and scrap the tax exemption it enjoys as a recognised religion in Australia. Mr Xenophon has been gathering statements from former Australian Scientology members, who claim they’ve been manipulated, blackmailed, assaulted and even falsely imprisoned for not towing the line. Senator Xenophon says Australians shouldn’t be supporting criminal activity. But many Christian-based churches have been embroiled in their fair share of controversy over the years – so why do they still have tax exemption?