Tag: Nick Xenophon

Raid on doomsday cult shot in the arm for crusade against fringe religions

cults A month after South Australian police raided more than a dozen properties associated with the bizarre Adelaide-based Agape Ministries doomsday cult, several questions remain unanswered.

But for independent senator Nick Xenophon the weapons found during the raids are a chilling reminder that decisive action must be taken to prevent cults getting footholds in Australian society.

Senator calls for anti-cult laws

Brainwashing Australia should introduce anti-cult legislation similar to laws operating in France, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says.

“The current laws that we have just don’t deal with issues of psychological manipulation, effectively brainwashing, the way that people are deceived into handing over their money to these cults,” he said.

Cults thrive on tax-free status, senator says

tax status cults Senator Nick Xenophon says organisations claiming to be religious thrive on their tax-free status.

He says legislation he introduced to the Senate last week would help flush out dangerous groups.

“If a cult cannot get tax-free status because of its activities then clearly that would make it more difficult for it to flourish and to expand,” he said.

Senator Xenophon vows to pursue ‘cults’

Cults Addressing a conference of cult survivors in Brisbane today, Senator Nick Xenophon said a new motion for a new parliamentary inquiry might include a push for police to take criminal action against cults.

He was also attracted to using the Trade Practices Act to prosecute groups for false and misleading conduct if they wrongly claimed to provide therapeutic benefits to their devotees.

The conference has heard a number of heart-rending stories from different religion-based and therapeutic cults.