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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-04-28 Daily Xml
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CRIMINON

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (15:48): I am glad that is over. What discussions did the Premier have with representatives of Criminon or Applied Scholastics in relation to donations to the Australian Labor Party? In an email from Nick Bolkus to ALP State Secretary, Michael Brown, dated 17 March, reference is made to the Premier's Melbourne visit and states, 'As discussed, they were very happy with their discussion with Mike. Worth the trip.' It adds:

Happy to give up to $20,000 as a start but want to do it under the radar. If this is okay, their address is: Applied Scholastics 1/89 Jones St Ultimo NSW 2007, Nick.

A series of searches reveals that the organisation Applied Scholastics is one of four key organisations operated by the Church of Scientology.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:49): Can I tell you this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Can I just tell you this: I would never do a favour for the Church of Scientology, founded by a loony called L. Ron Hubbard. Can I just say that there was a Twitter site set up with my name on it. Now, anywhere else in Australia, when it was exposed that it was being set up on the second floor by Rob Lucas's—a guy called Daniel, some mate of Christopher Pyne—he certainly sounds like him—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The fact is that they are prepared to do and say anything. Let me tell you this right now: I would never do a favour—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —for Scientology, because, in fact, if you do some checking, way back in the 1970s a program against Scientology was being run in New Zealand. I do remember who was involved in that program. Indeed, the Minister for Education has been condemned by Scientology, as will I be by the end of today, and they will come after me and come after me. You are much more likely to get—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —involved with Scientology than anyone I know on this side of the house. Let me tell you about what we got from the website, not your make-believe, fake website, which you set up with my name on it, putting out defamatory material. That is how dishonest you are: a pack of lies from the Liberals operating a dirty tricks unit on the second floor, and with a former treasurer involved—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —sanctioning it. When I came in here and named—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —who was responsible, it immediately vanished into thin air. And then their mates suddenly produced a story saying how unfair it was that they had been exposed. If I or a member of my staff had set up a Martin Hamilton-Smith website, putting out defamatory material, it would have been on the front page of The Advertiser, and it would have been the lead item on every television news. That is the measure of your character. This is all about the content of your character. I make this promise to you now: I would never do a favour for Scientology—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —who, in my view, are beneath contempt. Here we go. Under the question: 'What is Criminon's relationship to the Church of Scientology?' the website states:

Criminon is an independently incorporated organization and is licensed to use Mr. Hubbard's social betterment methodologies, including drug rehabilitation and criminal rehabilitation methodology. Mr. Hubbard did extensive research in this field and we are privileged to have the license to utilize his findings.

Criminon programs are available to anyone regardless of their religion or belief systems.

Criminon is very happy to have the support of the Church of Scientology because, like many other religions, its members are very involved in community betterment programs and participate as volunteers.

Criminon is licensed by the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), a non-profit corporation recognized as tax exempt under the 501(c)(3) status of the Internal Revenue Code.

It goes on to state:

Criminon is not licensed to use and does not utilize the religious writings and technologies of Mr. Hubbard.

Thank God for that. It would be as loopy as it sounds. It continues:

It has the secular purposes of eradicating the scourge of crime which plagues and often terrorizes our society.

And it goes on. Here we go. What do we have here? Wikipedia states:

Hubbard's 1981 booklet, The Way to Happiness is an integral part of the program, setting forth precepts such as 'Do not take harmful drugs', 'Be faithful to your sexual partner', Do not tell harmful lies', 'Don't do anything illegal', 'Do not steal', and 'Do not murder.'

That is really going to work with the bikies when they come down here on the weekend. We are going to get them to read Ron Hubbard's book. You have to be kidding! This might be your standard, but it is not mine. If that is what you want to see in our prison system, then you are more reckless and irresponsible than I thought. Wikipedia states:

In 1997, Judge Stephen Rushing, a Pinellas County, Florida, judge, received criticism and raised eyebrows from other judges when he began sentencing defendants to a program called 'Impulse Control' that was run by Criminon. Rushing said that people running the course promised they would not try to convert anyone. However the paper noted that many critics have suggested that Criminon was being used as a recruitment tool.

We might get the Hell's Angels joining Scientology. This could be something really novel. Can I just say this: I do not care what pieces of paper you have, I do not care what websites you manufacture in your dishonest way, but we will not be doing any favour for Scientology, we will not be doing any favour for Criminon, and, quite frankly, I think they are barking mad.

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