Scientology In Australia: A Growing Concern?

The Church of Scientology has had a presence in Australia since the early 1950s. While the number of adherents varies depending on the source, the Australian Census shows a decline in membership, with 1,655 members in 2021, down from 2,163 in 2011. Despite this, the Church of Scientology has amassed significant wealth in Australia, with assets totalling $326 million. The Church has headquarters in major cities across the country and has actively promoted its anti-drug and anti-psychiatry campaigns in schools and events.

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Membership: 1,655 in 2021, down from 150,000 claimed by Scientology

The number of members of the Church of Scientology in Australia varies depending on the source. According to the Australian Census, there were 1,655 members in 2021, down from 1,681 in 2016 and 2,163 in 2011. However, the Church of Scientology claims to have 150,000 members in Australia. This discrepancy in numbers can be attributed to the controversial nature of the organization and its practices.

Scientology has existed in Australia since the early 1950s, with its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, visiting the country in 1954 and 1959. It quickly gained a following, particularly in Melbourne, where its emphasis on personal development appealed to some in the post-war years. Despite its small number of adherents, Australia has become an international haven for the Church's wealth, with tens of millions of dollars being shifted into the country. The Church's assets in Australia are worth approximately $102,535 per adherent, totaling $326 million.

The Church of Scientology in Australia has been described as "unusual" and "wealthy," with its wealth increasing despite a decline in membership. This is due to the aggressive sales techniques employed by the organization, the high costs of progressing through its courses and religious levels, and large donations from wealthy backers and celebrities. The Church also encourages existing members to recruit new members by paying a commission.

The Church of Scientology has headquarters in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, along with a mission in Tasmania and Brisbane. The Sydney Church serves as the regional headquarters for the entire Asian and Pacific area. Despite its recognition as a religion and the tax-free status granted by the Australian High Court in 1983, Scientology remains controversial. It has faced criticism for its conflicts with mental health professionals, aggressive approach to critics, and concerns about its internal discipline of members.

Wealth: \$326 million in assets, with rising profits

The Church of Scientology in Australia has been described as an "unusual religion, and a wealthy one". An investigation by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald found that the Church made nearly 30 cents in profit for every dollar of revenue in Australia. The investigation also revealed that the Church's assets nearly tripled between 2013 and 2019, rising from $60.1 million to $172.4 million. This included the construction of its "Ideal Advanced Organisation" centre in Chatswood, Sydney.

The Church of Scientology's wealth in Australia is part of a larger trend of increasing wealth for the organization globally. The Church's total assets and property holdings have more than doubled since 2004. The Church has also received significant financial support from its members, including celebrities such as Tom Cruise, who has reportedly donated $25 million to the Church.

The Church of Scientology's financial success in Australia has been attributed to several factors. One factor is the country's favourable tax and regulatory environment for religions. Australia is one of the few jurisdictions that require the Church to report some financial data through its charity regulator. The Church's tax-free status in Australia has also contributed to its wealth accumulation.

The Church of Scientology's financial activities have not been without controversy. There have been calls for investigations into the Church's charity status and allegations of abuse and focus on money. Despite these concerns, the Church of Scientology continues to enjoy strong legal protections in Australia and has seen significant growth in its assets and profits.

Headquarters: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Tasmania, Brisbane

Scientology has existed in Australia since the early 1950s, with the Church of Scientology of Melbourne being the first church in the Southern Hemisphere, founded in 1955. The Church of Scientology of Sydney has served as the regional headquarters for the entire Asian and Pacific area since 1979.

The Church of Scientology of Perth has been serving a growing congregation since 1960. The Perth Church is located along the Swan River.

The Church of Scientology of Adelaide has several testimonials on its website, where members share how Scientology has helped them in their daily lives and relationships.

The Church of Scientology of Canberra has not been found. However, it is listed as one of the headquarters in Australia.

The Church of Scientology of Brisbane is located on Level 1 & 2, 452-456 George St, Brisbane, QLD 4000. The website also features testimonials from members who share how Scientology has helped them in their lives.

The Church of Scientology has a mission in Tasmania, but the location has not been found.

History: Active since the 1950s, banned in Victoria, South and Western Australia

Scientology has existed in Australia since the 1950s. In 1954, the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International held the First Australian Scientology Congress in Prahran, Victoria. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Dianetics Mental Health movement, travelled to Australia in 1959, delivering lectures at the Melbourne Congress and the First Melbourne Advanced Clinical Course.

The Church of Scientology has been the subject of criticism and legal action in Australia. In 1961, Eric Cunningham Dax, the founding chairman of the Mental Hygiene Authority of Victoria (later the Mental Health Authority), began to express concerns about people paying large sums of money for 'Scientology' courses. Dax's testimony at the Anderson Report inquiry in 1964 contributed to a ban on Scientology in Victoria, legislated in the Psychological Practices Act of 1965. This law prohibited the use of an E-meter, a device used by Scientologists, and teaching Scientology for a fee. Similar laws were later enacted in Western Australia in 1968 (the Scientology Act) and South Australia in 1968 (the Scientology (Prohibition) Act, replaced by the Psychological Practices Act in 1973).

In response to the bans, Scientology changed its name to the Church of the New Faith and continued to operate in Western Australia and South Australia. The Church has also faced legal challenges related to libel laws and the publication of books critical of the organisation and its prominent members. Despite these controversies, the Church of Scientology maintains a presence in Australia, with headquarters in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, and a mission in Tasmania and Brisbane.

Controversy: Anti-drug campaigns in schools, anti-psychiatry exhibitions, criminal allegations

The Church of Scientology has been involved in various controversies in Australia, including anti-drug campaigns in schools, anti-psychiatry exhibitions, and criminal allegations.

Anti-Drug Campaigns in Schools

The Church of Scientology, through its group Narconon, has conducted anti-drug campaigns in dozens of schools in Melbourne, involving presentations and distribution of brochures. The Church also reaches out to youth outside of schools, such as at the Big Day Out event, to spread its anti-drug message. Their anti-drug campaign is called "The Truth About Drugs" and is described as the "largest non-governmental anti-drug information and prevention campaign on Earth". It offers free educational components to all who request them. The Church claims that providing factual information about drugs leads to a drop in usage rates.

One school in Australia, the Athena School in Newtown, Sydney, uses Scientology study technology. The school has 90 pupils from preschool to year 10 and eight teachers who have been trained in L. Ron Hubbard's teaching techniques but do not hold formal qualifications. Some children at the school participate in Scientology community outreach programs operating under different names, including Drug Free Ambassadors.

Anti-Psychiatry Exhibitions

Through its group Citizens Commission on Human Rights, the Church of Scientology actively campaigns against what it claims are the dangers of psychiatric drugs and the treatment of ADHD. In 2006, the Church arranged an anti-psychiatry exhibition in Sydney, which was criticised by Christopher Pyne, the federal government's parliamentary secretary for health with special responsibilities for mental health. Pyne expressed concern that the exhibition could encourage patients to stop seeing psychiatrists, potentially leading to tragic outcomes. He characterised the campaign as "ill-informed and dangerous". Shelly Wilkins, executive director of the exhibition, countered that the campaign was not against psychiatrists but against their treatments.

Criminal Allegations

In 2009, independent senator Nick Xenophon described the Church of Scientology as a "criminal organisation" in a parliamentary speech. He referenced letters from former followers that included allegations of "abuse, false imprisonment, and forced abortion". Xenophon's call for a parliamentary inquiry into the Church's activities and tax-exempt status was rejected by the Australian Senate in 2010.

In 2021, a boy who was a member of the Church of Scientology was charged with murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was found to be suffering from schizophrenia and psychosis at the time of the stabbing and was deemed not criminally responsible.

Another controversy involving the Church of Scientology in Australia was the Queen Street massacre in 1988. The gunman, Frank Vitkovic, had taken a personality test administered by a Church of Scientology volunteer two months before the shooting. The volunteer believed that Vitkovic was suffering from a serious mental condition and may have been extremely depressed. However, no direct link was established between Vitkovic's actions and the test he took.

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