Josephus, In my ideal world, religions, and charities for that matter would "wither and die on the vine". Religion would become superfluous due to the enlightenment of man through the removal of the need to hold onto ignorant superstitious beliefs. Charities, noble as many are, would simply become redundant in the egalitarian society of tomorrow.

Josephus, (in your view) could you please tell me what are the beneficial and therefore positive aspects of organised religions?

I'm sure the "Holy Father" in Rome is a nice old guy, but just as I think the Queen of England is most likely a nice old duck, it don't make me a monarchists or a religious devotee.

To answer your question; Your world view is to eliminate freedom of religion and charitable organisations and view all things through the eyes of money? Can't see the correlation between those three things. So my answer is no. To add, I certainly do not view all things through the eyes of money.

The Special Commission of Inquiry into criminal child abuse by two PRIESTS in the Hunter region has found the CATHOLIC CHURCH failed for 40 years to inform police of known paedophile priests and misled police and refused to deliver relevant documents from the Vatican.

Josephus, if they used the words 'butchers' instead of PRIESTS and 'Fred's Butcher Shop' instead of the CATHOLIC CHURCH would you still be buy meat of Fred?

Television pioneer Reg Grundy may be the mystery donor who gave $200,000 to the Free Enterprise Foundation, a Liberal Party-linked entity that has been scrutinised by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The $200,000 donation from Akira Investments is listed by the Foundation among its donor disclosure filings to the Australian Electoral Commission for the year 2012-13.

Akira Investments Ltd has failed to lodge a political disclosure donation form to the Commission as required by law.

The AEC is powerless to chase Akira Investments Ltd for disclosures as it has no international jurisdiction.

The $200,000 donation stands among the largest single amounts gifted to the Free Enterprise Foundation, described as "a tool for the Liberal Party" by Geoffrey Watson SC, Counsel Assisting ICAC, during his opening address on April 28.

According to the Free Enterprise Foundation's AEC disclosure, Akira Investments' address is 'Les Caravelles, 25 Blvd Albert 1er, Monaco'.

I wonder if the decision not to lift the taxes on smokes and grog has anything to do with the Liberal Party reliance on the lobbyists and donations from those industries?

After all, the Liberal Party was notorious for taking millions upon millions from “Big Tobacco” in donations over the years. The Nationals still accept donations from Big Tobacco.

We have also been made aware that the Liberals fundraising organisation The Millennium Forum is run by a man by the name of Paul Nicolaou, who is also NSW Chief Executive of the Australian Hotels Association, which one of the biggest lobby groups for the alcohol industry in this country.

No conflict of interest there...

Paul Nicolaou, you may remember, has been called before ICAC recently as the Liberal Party in NSW implodes over a corruption scandal the likes of which we have never seen before.

Despite Abbott’s and Hockey’s reluctance to lumber their tobacco and alcohol pals with a tax hike, prices will still rise on these items due to the Coalitions budget.

The increase in the fuel excise levy will also guarantees these companies freight costs will be pushed up and this will end up being passed on to the consumer — as it will for all of our groceries.

There has been a lot of talk about Abbott’s many broken promises since the budget reared its ugly head

BILL Shorten has described the Abbott government's handling of its first budget as a "circus of mistakes".

The opposition leader has urged his Labor colleagues to get out in the streets of Australia and tell the truth about the budget.

After two weeks of trying to sell its fiscal plan, the government continues to struggle in opinion polls and would lose an election if it were called tomorrow.

"We in Labor do not need poll numbers to tell us just how bad this budget is for Australia," Mr Shorten told the Labor caucus in Canberra on Tuesday.

He said if it wasn't how the government has handled its budget so badly it would be a joke.

"They are turning this budget into a circus of mistakes."

He said the challenge for Labor is to get out into the suburbs and streets of Australia to explain the budget.