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The Forum > General Discussion > Grants to exclusive Brethren

Grants to exclusive Brethren

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I am not sure we can talk about this.
And that questions our views on all creeds.
I am also concerned is it wise to invite confrontation.
This subject has many Branch's, side issues.
But let us try.
I think Kevin Rudd, on record as holding views about this group I share, should not give our money to them.
The is it 70 million dollars reported in the Australian if true should not go to any church in my view.
Posted by Belly, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 6:00:07 AM
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I agree, Belly. I think that it's appalling that $70M of taxpayers' money is going to support the brainwashing activities of this cult. I recall that Kevin Rudd wasn't exactly kindly disposed to the Exclusive Brethren when he was in Opposition - why does such an obviously loopy cult have so much clout over governments of both persuasions?

It's bad enough that we fund mainstream religious schools, but this is ridiculous.

<< Documents show a Brethren-run school at Swan Hill in northern Victoria was granted $1.2m for a library and $800,000 for a hall when its most recent annual report shows it had just 16 pupils and already had a library. >>

http://tiny.cc/Q92G7
Posted by CJ Morgan, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 8:48:56 AM
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This is why my support for Rudd died off;

This is nothing but a contemptible scandal.

Nothing else for me to say the rest should be obvious- including the many schools NOT run by lunatic cults that could use the money.
Posted by King Hazza, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 9:03:59 AM
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Agree with all the comments so far.

Trouble is the Howard Government left a funding loophole (as per link below) which makes it difficult to actively discriminate against cults like the EB when it comes to dishing out monies for private schools.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/exclusive-brethren-enjoying-1m-taxpayer-windfall/story-e6frg6nf-1225818598020

The loophole needs to be plugged and the whole system of funding to private schools needs to be reviewed. This is not to say I disagree with funding of private schools but the distribution needs to be scrutinised so that the poorer private schools and public schools receive the greater share.
Posted by pelican, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 9:22:13 AM
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pelican: "Trouble is the Howard Government left a funding loophole ..."

Ah yes, that makes more sense. Thanks. I haven't seen the reports myself, but was having trouble squaring "it's appalling that $70M of taxpayers' money is going to ... this cult" with "I recall that Kevin Rudd wasn't exactly kindly disposed to the Exclusive Brethren".

With the benefit of hindsight, it seems the Libs made a right proper mess of education. Funding for Universities dropped to an all time low - 30% below the OECD average, funding for schools remained static at 2000 levels, the education for citizenship balls up, and now this.

Then we have the dropping of compulsory student union fees. While not being a problem on the scale of the others Uni's are still scratching around to find a replacement source of funding for student facilities and pastoral activities. The dropping of those fees in the face while both the students and Uni's where telling them they work very well does clearly highlight what drove the Libs to change education. It wasn't to make education better or more efficient. It was to make it ideologically pure.
Posted by rstuart, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:36:25 AM
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Good discussion, thanks for raisng it, Belly. I too agree with all that's been said here.

Sadly, this outrage is just another example in an ever-growing list of Rudd saying one thing and doing another.
Posted by Bronwyn, Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:58:48 AM
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