Exclusive Brethren
From Lobbyocracy.org.au
The Exclusive Brethren, led by Bruce D. Hales, are a fundamentalist Christian sect who forbid their members from voting but have had a growing influence on elections around the world since 2004, breaking more than 150 years of tradition. It is said to boast a membership of 43,000 largely based in Australia, New Zealand and UK.[1]
Contents |
Brethren Lobbyists in Canberra
In October 2007 it was uncovered that Sydney-based Brethren elders and lobbyists, Stephen Hales and Warwick John gained permanent access to Federal Parliament as lobbyists after being sponsored by former minister Danna Vale and the member for Bass, Michael Ferguson. These passes grant access to the offices of ministers and backbenchers.[1]
It was revealed in February 2008 that Federal Opposition leader Brendan Nelson also help Brethren lobbyist Stephen Hales to get a lobbyist's pass former Tasmanian Liberal MP Michael Ferguson.[1]
Brethren Lobbyists in NSW
In October 2007 two Brethren lobbyists, Warwick John and David Walter Stewart, became official parliamentary lobbyists representing the so-called Christian Lobby Group. They gained official lobbyist status through sponsored provided by Upper House MPs, the Rev Fred Nile and the Rev Gordon Moyes, of the Christian Democrats, and David Clarke, an Opus Dei supporting Catholic and leader of the NSW Liberal Party’s hard right, pro-Howard faction.[1]
Jackson Wells
The Exclusive Brethren use Liberal Party-connected public relations firm Jackson Wells Morris to provide political advice and to help them cope with "hostile media". Bob Lawrence handles the PR firms' Brethren account and has worked for senior ministers Helen Coonan and Joe Hockey. He also worked for Liberal Party campaign headquarters in 2004.[1]
2004 Election
In the 2004 federal election the Brethren sent a letter to 15,000 of its members urging them to support John Howard. The letter, dated September 8, 2004 was signed sect's world leader, Bruce D. Hales and each of its Australian state leaders.[1]
In the same election the Exclusive Brethren also specifically attacked Senate Candidate and now Green Party Senator for Tasmanian, Christine Milne. A brochures appearing in the media attacked the Greens' policy on the medicinal use of cannabis. The brochures were authorised with a single name and address in Sydney - that of a representative of the Exclusive Brethren - however this was not disclosed. The $370,000 expenditure on brochures was disclosed in a third party return by $10 company, Willmac Enterprises which was formed about a week before the 2004 electon and de-established is 2006.[1][1][1]
The sect was also linked to a political advertisements campaigning for the re-election of John Howard in the same election. The advertisements were funded by Willmac Enterprises Pty Ltd, a company wholly owned by Mark William Mackenzie who is a member of the Exclusive Brethren. In March 2006, members of Brethren placed press advertisements and distributed leaflets attacking the Australian Tasmanian Greens in the Tasmanian state election.
It has been uncovered that in 2004 then education minister Brendan Nelson gave several conessions to the sect. A transcript of Brethren leader Bruce D. Hales noted "The Government is very favourable; been favourable to us this week, hasn't it..." The comments made it clear that lobbyists for the Brethren, including David Stewart had met with Brendan Nelson.[1]
In 2004 Brendan Nelson met with members of the Exclusive Brethren and agree to an exemption from computer testing of students in years 6 and 10. The test is a condition of Federal Government funding of private schools. In 2005 the sect received $6.6 million in federal school funding.[1]
In May 2007 the Australian Electoral Commission funding and disclosure director Kevin Bodel referred their investigation of Willmac Enterprises to the federal police.[1]
The Exclusive Brethren's activities were reported to the Australian Electoral Commission who then refered accusations of money laundering and breaches of electoral law to the Australian Federal Police. In February 2008 Commissioner Mick Keelty told a Senate Hearing Committee that, while the investigation was not yet finalised, it appeared the claims were unsubstantiated.[1]
Family Law
In December 2006, It was reported that Brethren representatives met with the Australian Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock lobbying for family law changes to "ensure that a child is not subject to a radical lifestyle change without compelling reason".[1]
Associated Businesses
The Brethren are associated with numerous businesses. In Australia, Brethren leaders run the companies Tyremax, Sprinter Tyres and STI Tyres Australia Pty Ltd. In addition to retailing tyres these businesses import and wholesale Maxxis brand tyres from China, Taiwan and Thailand. Water filter supplier Billi Systems is the family business of Victorian Brethren leader John Gadsden. Bruce Hale runs a business selling office equipment. Bruce's brother, Stephen Hales runs a business which imports and installs waterpumps, called Allpumps.[1]
Businesses owned by Brethren throughout the world gain advice and book-keeping support from an organisation called National Office Assist.[1]
Jaybro Civil & Safety Products, in Western Sydney (NSW) is also run by Exclusive Brethren. Crest Office Interiors in Penrith (western Sydney NSW) is another Exclusive Brethren company run by Jim Green whose sister is married to Bruce Hales.[1]
Liberal Party Contact
In February 2007 John Howard, by way of NSW senator Bill Heffernan, has issued a warning to his MPs not to accept any help from the sect after a spate of negative publicity surrounding their influence. Mr Howard has admitted to meeting the Brethren in the past but will provide no details however it has been suggested that the Brethren provided people to put Liberal leaflets in letterboxes during the 2004 federal election.[1]
According to Australian Labor Party sources, approaches for a meeting with opposition leader Kevin Rudd have been turned down or ignored.[1]
Dispite this, in August 2007 John Howard met with Mark Mackenzie whose former company is Willmac Enterprises, sect's world leader, or "Elect Vessel", Bruce D. Hales as well as Stephen Hales and elder Warwick John despite the group being under Federal Police investigation at the time regarding their electoral activities. It is believed that the Brethren will be major Liberal Party donors at the following federal election with a particular emphasis on the Prime Minister's seat which is in jeapoardy due to a challenge from former ABC journalist and ALP star recruit Maxine McKew.[1]
In January 2008 a series of letters were obtained by The Age after a 14-month-long freedom-of-information bid, show the Brethren providing advice to then Prime Minister John Howard on a range of issues from the war in Iraq, to Medicare, to how to deal with the campaigns of Senator Bob Brown. The correspondence has a warm and familiar tone. [1]
Amongst the letters the Brethren complained about the "tens of millions of dollars" the Medicare levy had cost the Brethren. However it warning against the massive overhaul of Medicare that was proposed by then Health Minister Kay Patterson in September 2003 before the 2004 election, due to it being electorally unpopular. Shortly after [[Kay Patterson[[ was replaced by Tony Abbott as Health Minister.[1]
They also suggested that in the lead up to the 2004 federal election that attention needed to be diverted from the war in Iraq and suggested that Howard propose a massive underground aqueduct project to transport water with the money gained from the sale of Telstra. The Brethren runs a network of pump supply companies however Tony McCorkell has denied that this had anything to do with the proposal.[1]
The letters can be found here[1]":
Green's Senate Enquiry
It is likely that the Australian Labor Party will support a motion by Greens leader Bob Brown for a full Senate inquiry on the Brethren's activities which was opposed by Labor and the Democrats last year.[1]
Anthony McCorkell
In early 2007 the Brethren appointed a spokesman, Brisbane businessman Anthony McCorkell.[1]
Lithgow
The Exclusive Brethren have denied allegations that it bankrolled an appeal against a ruling the NSW council's Supreme Court which allowed a sex shop, Flirt Adult Store, to open in the main street of Lithgow, NSW.[1][1]
$1,500 was pledged by Brethren member and local businessman Mike Gillies on behalf of local business but Brethren spokesperson Anthony McCorkell denied that it had anything to do with the Exclusive Brethren.[1][1]
2007 Election
During the 2007 federal election, the Exclusive Brethren were accused of producing an election leaflet attacking the Greens policy. The accusation was based on the Brethren's links to Tasmania's Liberals' Damien Mantach who authorised the brochure.[1]
During the 2007 federal election a freedom of information request for the release of correspondence between Prime Minister John Howard and members of the Exclusive Brethren were delayed until after the election. The FoI request had already been delayed 14 months and has been further delayed to give the Exclusive Brethren the opportunity to object to the request.[1]
In the last week of the election the Exclusive Brethren intervened more directly by sending a letter "to the citizens of Tasmania" warning about the "anti-development and immoral policies" of Greens leader Bob Brown. The letter names 48 male and three female sect members and notes that they are "members of a Christian group commonly known as the Exclusive Brethren".[1]
The letter also points to an anonymous blog, which smears the Australian Greens, www.greenswatch.com. The site is US-registered.[1]
Eros Association
The Eros Association, a Canberra-based group that represents adult stores, has accused the Exclusive Brethren of bankrolling legal challenges to halt the spread of adult stores. The allegations come after their involvement in Lithgow. Eros co-ordinator Robbie Swan has claimed that there is incresing evidence that the EB have "infiltrated other morals groups around the nation" and are working to stop adult shops from opening. He has also claimed that members of the Brethren have been secretly elected to local councils, with moral agendas being their main reason for being there.[1]
External Links
Australian Electoral Commission: Exclusive Brethren
Peebs.Net - A site operated by ex-EB members
4 Corners report on the Exclusive Brethren
Website
Web Site: http://www.theexclusivebrethren.com/
