What's new

Bad news re Inquiry at *this* stage. It's off.

Smilla

Ordinary Human
It has been established in the Senate today, that there won't *be* a vote, because both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition won't budge on their stance re an Inquiry not being warranted.

It is/has been debated in the Senate today. Is anyone able to get footage of what went down? If not, we can get the Hansard.

This doesn't close the door. Because there won't be a vote at this time, it doesn't mean that we can't go back to the drawing boards and give them more reason to have an Inquiry, and/or challenge them on their lack of balls.

We're not giving up this end. There's a global effort at this time, and each milestone helps the next. This is infuriating, but at the same time, it gives the impetus to step up. This one won't be shoved under the carpet this easily. We have allies on the outside now, we'll use them.
Well said Carmel.
 

KnightVision

Gold Meritorious Patron
Most of us are not really surprised by the "no inquiry". What is important is that a hell of a lot more people know about what is going on than 6 months ago.

There is a way to weaken Scientology within a 2 year period to the point where they will fail.

Ironically, it will not take more effort than is being exerted now. It just means focus on certain elements.

And it can be done.

Good post Aaron.
 

Carmel

Crusader
There's another picture....

In an ideal world, Politicians could just make the calls they want to make, and do the right thing. However, it's not an ideal world, and politics is politics.

In this country, Politicians watch each others backs, and make deals. "I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine". Deals are made between the Independents, the Greens, and either the Labour Party or the Coalition all the time. Sometimes these deals are put in concrete, and it's as set as ya could ever get it, but at the eleventh hour when it comes to the crunch, another sneaks in with a better deal, behind the other's back. Enough said on that.

This is not about right or wrong. It's about Politics. The way we'll get an Inquiry, is to approach it from this angle. Political advantage or political suicide is what it comes down to. We just need ta get some more carrots and pump up the pressure from the constituents, so that compromise by the Pollies on this issue will result in political suicide as opposed to political advantage.

One battle lost, but the war isn't over. In a way it's only just started, because now it's happening in the *public* arena. Xen has more cards which he can play, and he'll play them.....IMO, he, his key staff, his associates and his allies in the Senate, know how to play the game and will continue to do so to meet the objective.

Hey, I've had my share of grief today and I'm pissed about it all, but as someone said here earlier, it's just another bump in the road. It's a long fucking road, that some have been traveling some three decades or so.....It's definitely a shitload smoother *these* days, for us at this point in the *relay*, and we still have the baton.
 
Very Bummed

In an ideal world, Politicians could just make the calls they want to make, and do the right thing. However, it's not an ideal world, and politics is politics.

In this country, Politicians watch each others backs, and make deals. "I'll scratch your back, if you scratch mine". Deals are made between the Independents, the Greens, and either the Labour Party or the Coalition all the time. Sometimes these deals are put in concrete, and it's as set as ya could ever get it, but at the eleventh hour when it comes to the crunch, another sneaks in with a better deal, behind the other's back. Enough said on that.

This is not about right or wrong. It's about Politics. The way we'll get an Inquiry, is to approach it from this angle. Political advantage or political suicide is what it comes down to. We just need ta get some more carrots and pump up the pressure from the constituents, so that compromise by the Pollies on this issue will result in political suicide as opposed to political advantage.

One battle lost, but the war isn't over. In a way it's only just started, because now it's happening in the *public* arena. Xen has more cards which he can play, and he'll play them.....IMO, he, his key staff, his associates and his allies in the Senate, know how to play the game and will continue to do so to meet the objective.

Hey, I've had my share of grief today and I'm pissed about it all, but as someone said here earlier, it's just another bump in the road. It's a long fucking road, that some have been traveling some three decades or so.....It's definitely a shitload smoother *these* days, for us at this point in the *relay*, and we still have the baton.

After hearing the bad news I was so bummed (actually depressed) last night.
:bigcry:
I thought about all of you! It feels like being on a roller coaster with all the good news & set backs these past few weeks!
Now I am SO glad I came here to read your posts of optimism AND this short loss can actually be considered a WIN because of all the negative media attention Co$ will receive as a result!

So me happy now! :happydance:
 
This doesn't close the door. Because there won't be a vote at this time, it doesn't mean that we can't go back to the drawing boards and give them more reason to have an Inquiry...

...We're not giving up this end. There's a global effort at this time, and each milestone helps the next.

Although I'm disappointed, I'm not surprised. The scope of the investigation tabled by Senator Xenophon was far too broad... as I read it, it would look into the tax-exempt status of all religions, one of which was going to be Scientology. As more Ex's speak up, the Oz public will demand that an inquiry take place solely into the abuses and criminal activities of the CoS (and the CoS alone).

Once public pressure is large enough, the politicians will budge. Let's do what we can to ensure that the pressure builds, and builds furiously. This isn't a win for the CoS/OSA... the decision by the two main political parties is simply a delay, nothing more. They will come around.
 

byte301

Crusader
Look at where we were 2 years ago. Now look at us. We're in the big time.

The orgs are basically empty, fair game has ground to a halt for the most part, millions of people know about the CoS and their abuses, and we get new exes on this board almost daily.

WE ARE WINNING! One of the things we have going for us is persistance. If we weren't so stubborn we wouldn't have tried all those years to make an unworkable system workable.

One little set back only fires us up.

You listening OSA? Your days are numbered. Enjoy your "win" while you can. You get so few of them and you won't be seeing many more.
 

The Great Zorg

Gold Meritorious Patron
I suggest that we have another section on this board specifically for threads concerning the enquiry. The we could gather up all the bits and pieces that keep getting buried and make some stickys of things like email addys of the pollies and where to send petitions etc.

Is there an echo in here?
 

lionheart

Gold Meritorious Patron
<snip>

Hey, I've had my share of grief today and I'm pissed about it all, but as someone said here earlier, it's just another bump in the road. It's a long fucking road, that some have been traveling some three decades or so.....It's definitely a shitload smoother *these* days, for us at this point in the *relay*, and we still have the baton.

Look at where we were 2 years ago. Now look at us. We're in the big time.

The orgs are basically empty, fair game has ground to a halt for the most part, millions of people know about the CoS and their abuses, and we get new exes on this board almost daily.

WE ARE WINNING! One of the things we have going for us is persistance. If we weren't so stubborn we wouldn't have tried all those years to make an unworkable system workable.

One little set back only fires us up.

You listening OSA? Your days are numbered. Enjoy your "win" while you can. You get so few of them and you won't be seeing many more.

Exactly! I've been watching the cult for three decades, I know some who have been waiting for the truth to be fully exposed even longer than that!

We have to take a long-term perspective, just as the cult does.

I've seen it banned in parts of Australia, seen foreign scientologists banned from the UK (effectively booting Ron out of the country), seen FBI raids on orgs, seen the criminal GO cult busted in court, etc. But the world domination cult has not let those things stop it.

What is very different these days is that the Press and the exes are less intimidated than they were three decades ago and public awareness of the mind control cult is way higher than it has ever been.

Aaron is correct about cult infiltration in other areas of the world. I also noticed his line of the SO being the cult within Scn is being carried by the media - well done!

Well done to the Oz whistle blowers, you've made it easier for more exes to tell their stories.

Three decades ago it was practically impossible to have an effect on the world domination cult, now we are nearer than ever to creating "cleared" countries - cleared of the mind control cult! :roflmao:
 

Cherished

Silver Meritorious Patron
Nitpicky correction to the OP - there WAS a vote and the vote was negative. 6:34 http://forums.whyweprotest.net/318-...logy/transcript-senate-march-11-2010-a-62947/

So, Nick will put forward another (different) motion next week. And he'll keep putting motions to the vote until the right result happens.

For Jimmymac - Nick explicitly said that the broader terms of reference were made because certain colleagues felt it was a fairer resolution. I don't know whether those colleagues were in the major parties or the Greens. My hunch is they were in the major parties (or one of them). (See the transcript - above)

This is far from over.

Two bits of encouragement today:

  1. I happened to get the Chief of Staff of a very influential Senator on the phone today. I mentioned a couple of things and he was VERY interested. We spoke for half an hour. He took lots of notes. I sent him a looong email with lots of links. He replied that he would be giving the Senator a full briefing tonight.
  2. A member of the media today said "it's not over yet. Stay tuned..."

I was happy today. :)
 

Happy Aberree

Patron with Honors
Nitpicky correction to the OP - there WAS a vote and the vote was negative. 6:34 http://forums.whyweprotest.net/318-...logy/transcript-senate-march-11-2010-a-62947/

So, Nick will put forward another (different) motion next week. And he'll keep putting motions to the vote until the right result happens.

For Jimmymac - Nick explicitly said that the broader terms of reference were made because certain colleagues felt it was a fairer resolution. I don't know whether those colleagues were in the major parties or the Greens. My hunch is they were in the major parties (or one of them). (See the transcript - above)

This is far from over.

Two bits of encouragement today:

  1. I happened to get the Chief of Staff of a very influential Senator on the phone today. I mentioned a couple of things and he was VERY interested. We spoke for half an hour. He took lots of notes. I sent him a looong email with lots of links. He replied that he would be giving the Senator a full briefing tonight.
  2. A member of the media today said "it's not over yet. Stay tuned..."

I was happy today. :)

Great stuff, Cherished! Excellent work.
 

FinallyFree

Gold Meritorious Patron
Nitpicky correction to the OP - there WAS a vote and the vote was negative. 6:34 http://forums.whyweprotest.net/318-...logy/transcript-senate-march-11-2010-a-62947/

So, Nick will put forward another (different) motion next week. And he'll keep putting motions to the vote until the right result happens.

For Jimmymac - Nick explicitly said that the broader terms of reference were made because certain colleagues felt it was a fairer resolution. I don't know whether those colleagues were in the major parties or the Greens. My hunch is they were in the major parties (or one of them). (See the transcript - above)

This is far from over.

Two bits of encouragement today:

  1. I happened to get the Chief of Staff of a very influential Senator on the phone today. I mentioned a couple of things and he was VERY interested. We spoke for half an hour. He took lots of notes. I sent him a looong email with lots of links. He replied that he would be giving the Senator a full briefing tonight.
  2. A member of the media today said "it's not over yet. Stay tuned..."

I was happy today. :)

:hifive: Thank YOU Cherished!! :bighug:

scientology cannot take away the negative media exposure, no matter what happens now. This will NOT go away!!! :yes:
 
Hey, I've had my share of grief today and I'm pissed about it all, but as someone said here earlier, it's just another bump in the road. It's a long fucking road, that some have been traveling some three decades or so.....It's definitely a shitload smoother *these* days, for us at this point in the *relay*, and we still have the baton.

:omg:

Stand back, everyone! Carmel is pissed and she's got a stick! :omg:

Seriously, C, you've got our love & support in taking this forward. :yes:


Mark A. Baker
 

skollie

Silver Meritorious Patron
From the Brisbane Times.
Senate in alignment with the planet Ron:

UP THERE on a planet in a galaxy far away, Lafayette Ron gazed down on the Senate yesterday and must now be considering honorary membership of his inner sanctum, the Sea.Org, for Labor and Coalition senators and Steve Fielding.

Sadly we are unable to use his more familiar moniker, for Scientologists have copyrighted their founder's name with the Australian trademark office, registration numbers 154357, 312978, 387759 and 415422.415423.

Scientologists reportedly say their main man discarded his body in favour of a spirit form and took to the skies when he died in 1986 and who are we to argue?

Nevertheless history shows he well knows the treachery of Australian politicians. In 1965 a Victorian Coalition government banned Scientology. South Australia and Western Australia followed suit but 18 years later the High Court's Church of the New Faith v Victorian Commissioner of Payroll Tax ruling exempted Lafayette Ron's organisation from paying tax.

Now Scientology has emerged victorious in its second confrontation with an Australian parliament when the holy trinity in the Senate united to defeat Nick Xenophon's attempt to have the tax-free status of religious and charitable groups investigated by politicians.

In recent weeks, an unholy quartet, Xenophon, the Greens, Australian of the Year Pat McGorry and Four Corners, have attacked Scientology, but their slings and arrows must have felt like pin-pricks in comparison to the sledging in the Senate.

The Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz, the great-nephew of an SS officer, seemed the think moves against Scientology were the first step in a commo plot while the Victorian Liberal senator Cory Bernardi accused the Greens of conducting religious witch-hunts. ''This is the organisation, remember, that wanted the members of the Exclusive Brethren Christian organisation to mark their businesses so people would know who they were,'' he said. ''The Star of David … that the Greens wanted to impose.''

It was a bridge too far for the Greens leader, Bob Brown, who rose demanding a withdrawal.

Bernardi retreated, slightly.

''I will withdraw the inference that the Star of David was the symbol that the Greens wanted to put on every Exclusive Brethren business,'' he said.

''Make no mistake that the Greens wanted to ensure that people of a particular religious persuasion were going to be marked in their businesses.''

The independent Xenophon thought the major parties ''cowardly'' and said the government withdrew support for his bill for fear of pre-empting a tax review report that was sitting on Rudd's desk unread as yet.

''I ask Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott, what is it about forced abortions you don't want to know about? What is it about false imprisonment that you don't want to know about? What is it about a policy of breaking up families that you don't want to know about?"

A Scientology spokeswoman, Vicki Dunstan, said it was a ''victory for religious freedom" and the church could now focus on usual activities including providing aid to earthquake-devastated Haiti and Chile.

Lafayette Ron has not returned calls.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opi...gnment-with-the-planet-ron-20100311-q1n1.html
 

dontscamme

Patron Meritorious

<snip>

In recent weeks, an unholy quartet, Xenophon, the Greens, Australian of the Year Pat McGorry and Four Corners, have attacked Scientology, but their slings and arrows must have felt like pin-pricks in comparison to the sledging in the Senate
.

I would beg to differ with the "pinpricks" characterization above. Something on the order of "sword thrusts" is closer to the truth, though the beast lives to fight another day.
 

Feral

Rogue male
Look at where we were 2 years ago. Now look at us. We're in the big time.

The orgs are basically empty, fair game has ground to a halt for the most part, millions of people know about the CoS and their abuses, and we get new exes on this board almost daily.

WE ARE WINNING! One of the things we have going for us is persistance. If we weren't so stubborn we wouldn't have tried all those years to make an unworkable system workable.

One little set back only fires us up.

You listening OSA? Your days are numbered. Enjoy your "win" while you can. You get so few of them and you won't be seeing many more.

Exactly Byte. They might have repelled the current assault, but they haven't even won this battle.

Right now they are defending as nearly all of their options for attack have been closed. This is contrary to policy and puts them in a theater of conflict that is unsustainable.

There is a growing number of opponents to the cofS now all sieging their fortress.

It's only a matter of time before it's breeched. You just can't keep repelling a growing force for ever.
 
Last edited:

Outethicsofficer

Silver Meritorious Patron
We aren't going away

I would hate to be against the exes if I were involved still in the church...my god what an irresistible force. I say let OSA rejoice in their panties.

We are not going away.

James
 
Top