SCIENTOLOGISTS lured Dean Detheridge off the street using their tried and tested technique of offering a personality test. He wasn't much interested, but they were extremely skilled and persistent persuaders, and he found he couldn't say no. Seven days later he was on staff in what turned out to be a very full-time job.

Although he rose to executive director of the Canberra branch, Detheridge was always below the poverty line. He worked 15-hour days for the Church of Scientology, plus another three hours in the early morning as a cleaner to feed his family. Days off were rare.

He told The Age how he learnt to lie, bully, intimidate and humiliate people and particularly to extort money in service of the church and its ostensible aim, the greatest good of the greatest number. Now he calls it ''a crock of shit''.

Detheridge lost 17 years to the church, under constant financial and emotional pressure. He did much of which he is now ashamed, and suffered much more. This week his story hit the headlines when Senator Nick Xenophon called for an inquiry into the church and tabled several letters from former members.

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THE push for a Senate investigation into the Church of Scientology has stalled, with both main parties reluctant to support the move.

Yesterday a motion by independent senator Nick Xenophon for an inquiry into the group was pushed back another day, continuing a pattern that began on Monday.

It is believed that the South Australian independent is keen to bring the motion to a vote only once he has been given an indication either way by the main parties. Church president Vicki Dunstan criticised the push for an inquiry. ''This is a witch-hunt,'' she told The Age.

Senator Xenophon last week tabled letters from former church members citing forced abortions, forced labour, child abuse, extortion and intimidation. Earlier in the week he indicated he would continue pushing for an inquiry, even without the Senate's initial support.

Senior Scientologist says 'no cover up'

ELIZABETH JACKSON: The international vice president of the Church of Scientology has responded to allegations that his church is a criminal organisation.

Senator Nick Xenophon used parliamentary privilege last month to declare that Scientology is not a religion but a criminal organisation which covers up offences and abuse by its members.

The Church of Scientology's vice president says the allegations have already been investigated.

Bronwyn Herbert reports.

BRONWYN HERBERT: Its status as a religion is fiercely contested, but the Church of Scientology is undisputedly one of the world's fastest growing groups, as Reverend Bob Adams explains

BOB ADAMS: From one church in 1954 to… we're in 165 nations now; we have 8,000 churches, missions and groups right across this fair earth of ours.

BRONWYN HERBERT: And that includes about a quarter of a million Australian members. But many of the church's former followers have raised serious allegations of abuse.

South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon used parliamentary privilege last month to detail some of the cases.

(Archive from The World Today 18/11/09)

NICK XENOPHON: There are allegations of false imprisonment, coerced abortions and embezzlement of church funds, of physical violence and intimidation, black mail and the widespread and deliberate abuse of information obtained by the organisation.

BRONWYN HERBERT: Reverend Bob Adams is the vice president of the International School of Scientology, based in Los Angeles.

He's been in Melbourne this week for the World Religions conference. He says the claims of a cover up are unfounded.

BOB ADAMS: It's not that the allegations aren't serious charges; the fact of the matter is that they are unsubstantiated rumours.

Many of these so called charges so called allegations are very old. I mean 12 or 15 years ago, these incidents occurred, were thoroughly reviewed, and investigations were made… followed up.

BRONWYN HERBERT: One case involves a Brisbane man who paid $25,000 to the Church of Scientology before he took his life.

An interim coroner's report found that the Church had sent the man's files to the United States deliberately, so that the information could not be handed to authorities.

Senator Xenophon called for an inquiry into the church and its tax-free status after raising many allegations of criminal conduct.

One victim of scientology, quoted by Mr Xenophon, stated that women were taking into offices and bullied into having an abortion.

BOB ADAMS: That's someone's statement of… it's totally false. There's no proof whatsoever; no one has ever made… no one has come forward and said here'd the proof.

BRONWYN HERBERT: Reverend Doctor David Millikan is a Minister of the Uniting Church. He also lectures on alternative religious movements at Charles Sturt University.

Reverend Millikan says the High Court of Australia recognised scientology as a religion in the early 1980s

DAVID MILLIKAN: The question is - are they breaking the law or not? That is what needs to be established.

I know people who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Scientology, and at the time that they were spending that money they believed that this was providing them with various forms protections and technologies that would allow them to recover as damaged themselves.

BRONWYN HERBERT: The Federal Government has ruled out supporting a Senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology.

A spokesman for the Government Senate leader says the Taxation Commissioner and the police should deal with the allegations.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Bronwyn Herbert with that report.

Bronwyn Herbert reports.

BRONWYN HERBERT: Its status as a religion is fiercely contested, but the Church of Scientology is undisputedly one of the world's fastest growing groups, as Reverend Bob Adams explains

BOB ADAMS: From one church in 1954 to… we're in 165 nations now; we have 8,000 churches, missions and groups right across this fair earth of ours.

The complete text of all the letters from former Scientologists tabled by Senator Xenophon on November 17, 2009, along with his motion for an inquiry into the cult's tax exemption has been posted on Scribd by Jonny Jacobsen of Infinite Complacency.

Scribd: Xenophon Senate Letters

The Office of Special affairs during this time falsely declared Suppressive several people to trick anti-Scientology organizations into considering them as having turned. The two individuals in turn stole documents from the anti-Scientology groups and provided them to OSA which allowed them to investigate.

I was also involved in the false preparation of security cameras and recording equipment that was illegally placed into auditing rooms. The stated purpose was for the Case Supervisor to review the tapes to ensure technology was being correctly applied. In reality copies of these videos were sent off base and kept as testimony and evidence of the person being recorded admitting to illegal activities that they confessed.

Scientologists probe
ROSIE SQUIRES. Sunday Telegraph. Surry Hills, N.S.W.: Dec 27, 2009. pg. 35

POLICE are investigating claims three former Church of Scientology members, whose experiences of church abuse were tabled in federal Parliament, have been harassed and stalked since going public.

((C) Copyright Nationwide News Pty Limited)

POLICE are investigating claims three former Church of Scientology members, whose experiences of church abuse were tabled in federal Parliament, have been harassed and stalked since going public.

Three of the seven former Scientology members whose letters were tabled by Independent Senator Nick Xenophon in Parliament last month allege they have been harassed since speaking out against the church.

Senator Xenophon will be contacting Australian Federal Police to investigate the matter.

"The federal police need to look at this issue because if anyone is bullied and frightened into silence, our democratic system is put at risk."

Former Scientology member Paul Schofield claimed that he was being stalked by members of the church.

"The same blue Holden Statesman turns up outside my work every damn day and just sits there to try to intimidate me," Mr Schofield told The Sunday Telegraph.

"It did spook me at the beginning, but I've realised we can't give in to these tactics."

Last month, Senator Xenophon spoke in Parliament about Mr Schofield's daughter, who died at the church's Sydney headquarters.

A Scientology spokeswoman, Virginia Stewart, disputed Senator Xenophon's claims.

Carmel Underwood, who also wrote to Senator Xenophon as part of a campaign to have a Senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology launched, said she believed that her dog, Polly, had been poisoned last weekend.

"On Saturday night, our little dog started having a seizure," Ms Underwood said. "We took her straight to the vet and she had her stomach pumped and luckily survived.

"The vet told us she had eaten snail pellets but we don't use snail pellets, nor have we ever used them."

Ms Underwood, who was heavily involved in the Church of Scientology for 18 years, has reported the incident to police.

Sydneysider Kevin Mackay claims the church has spread rumours about him to other members and friends.

"I think the Senate should have launched an investigation immediately," he said. "They've waited too long now.

"This is the Mafia of religion. Who knows what they are capable of?"

Senator Xenophon said he would ensure these actions were investigated and those responsible brought to justice.

"Bullies, whoever they are, can't be allowed to get away with this," he said.

"Every Australian should be concerned if people feel intimidated from speaking out about important issues because of the actions of others.

"I believe every Australian politician needs to speak out on this issue. That's the only way ordinary Australians will feel safe to speak out."

Credit: By ROSIE SQUIRES

A LEADING critic of Scientology is to travel to Australia to support Senator Nick Xenophon's campaign for an inquiry into the tax-exempt status of the church.

Gerry Armstrong was an ardent believer in the church and its founder, the science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, until he began researching an authorised biography of his hero in 1980.

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