What's new

Sunrise "Ask the PM" on Forced Abortion and Senate Inquiry

skydog

Patron Meritorious
The link works fine for me. One nice thing about Mr. Rudd, he does not appear to be a fan of scientology. He seems to be missing the point however, that if the allegations are true, the Australian government is subsidizing a criminal organization.
 

BC1

Patron with Honors
It sounded like Mr. Rudd at least acknowledges that they aren't a desirable organization and is not necessarily trying to stop them from being looked at, but more so just trying to channel the investigation to the right government forum.

Wasn't there discussion a while back about the evidence being given to all the relevant local law enforcement? Is there any update on the progress of that? Are they at least taking it seriously?
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
It sounded like Mr. Rudd at least acknowledges that they aren't a desirable organization and is not necessarily trying to stop them from being looked at, but more so just trying to channel the investigation to the right government forum.

Wasn't there discussion a while back about the evidence being given to all the relevant local law enforcement? Is there any update on the progress of that? Are they at least taking it seriously?

Right now it seems the politicians who opposed the Bill are trying to find a way to publicly change their minds while still "being right" for having opposed it in the first place.:duh:

Once that minor miracle is achieved, then the Inquiry will go ahead as we all hope.:D

OSA - bring doc.s - it'll help you cut a deal with the prosecuting authorities.:coolwink:
 

Kookaburra

Gold Meritorious Patron
Don't know if it's just me, but it says "Video no longer available".

Suggestions please?

Yes.

First of all you need the latest Flash Player (free download) according to the message that pops up before the video starts to load.

Then you have to wait for the loading before you do anything. If you click the screen to start the video before all those little loading messages at the bottom of your screen stop, then you get the no longer available message. Just let it run it's course and it will play.
 

MrNobody

Who needs merits?
Yes.

First of all you need the latest Flash Player (free download) according to the message that pops up before the video starts to load.

Then you have to wait for the loading before you do anything. If you click the screen to start the video before all those little loading messages at the bottom of your screen stop, then you get the no longer available message. Just let it run it's course and it will play.

Uh, yes that's what they say, but since newer Flash Players don't install on my old operating system, I still have to use the old Player version 9, which is the latest one that supports my system. I get the "video no longer available" message all the time from Yahoo Video, but hitting the Reload button usually does the trick. And yes, it takes some time before the video starts.
 

BC1

Patron with Honors
Right now it seems the politicians who opposed the Bill are trying to find a way to publicly change their minds while still "being right" for having opposed it in the first place.:duh:

Once that minor miracle is achieved, then the Inquiry will go ahead as we all hope.:D

OSA - bring doc.s - it'll help you cut a deal with the prosecuting authorities.:coolwink:

I'll cross my fingers for that miracle to happen quickly. :)
 
Interesting how much effort the PM put into repeating the fact that he has serious concerns about COS.

I'm thinking OSA PR tech. I'm thinking Opinion Leader.
Not just in OZ but as a PM he is an Opinion Leader in that region of the world and beyond.

The PM obviuosly wants all to know that the COS are in the bad books on what is good for people.

OSA better get "The Way To Happiness" to him quickfast!
 

Outethicsofficer

Silver Meritorious Patron
Right now it seems the politicians who opposed the Bill are trying to find a way to publicly change their minds while still "being right" for having opposed it in the first place.:duh:

Once that minor miracle is achieved, then the Inquiry will go ahead as we all hope.:D

OSA - bring doc.s - it'll help you cut a deal with the prosecuting authorities.:coolwink:

Hi Paul,
Very perceptive, it is also my take on it, I will use this thread to give a brief account of our time at Parliament House this week.

Coming into the week we knew we'd be going to Parliament House to meet with Senators or their policy advisors which had been arrange earlier and the day was set for Thursday.

Early Tuesday evening we received a call from Xenophon's office..."could Liz and I come up to their office on Wednesday and they'd arrange for us to meet up with Senators prior to Thursday's press meeting this has to confirmed yet I will confirm it later" this is easy for us to do as we live in Canberra, at 11:00 pm we received confirmation that it was on.

We thought we were just going to do a quick meet and greet and so on and so we checked with Janette as to whether or not she'd like to come and she could tell her story in private to Senators, she decided to come along for the ride!

We arrived at 9:00 am and once past security we were taken to Xenophon's office...I won't go into too much detail here about being in his office other than to say wow!! This guy is one hard working dude, so too are all of his staff, it is Nick and three others...they pump and get things done that would make a Sea Org member blush and they all really CARE!.:yes::yes:

The first sign that the day was going have some surprises in it came when the Senator came in and said to Liz..."Sky News wants to do an interview with you are you up for it?":omg:....Liz looks at me...her eyes were wide just like a bunny caught in head lights, she doesn't like to be surprised and if you know Liz you will understand I have just made an understatement! So I said.."yes she'll do it"...what are husbands for if not to push one's wife into on coming traffic?:whistling:

Liz goes off and does the interview...not sure when or if that went to air! After a bit Liz comes back and Xenophon meets up with Janette and the she tells of the abortions, this was HUGE here is this gorgeous young lady telling of her devastation it was pure, raw and real. Janette was finally being heard, they were appalled that this had been done to her and it showed. This was the acknowledgement she never got from the church.

A statement was taken from Janette and while that was happening Liz and I went off with Nick and meet some Senators, frankly I've lost track of who we saw first of the 10 or so Senators we all saw Wednesday; it all became a blur after a while. The hallways of Parliament House are long with many a door to go through a lot was happening and most of it out of our control but we were okay with that.

After our first visit it was close to lunchtime and close to Janette finishing her statement, she was in tears but was okay. The care being shown her was incredible, Senator Christine Milne had come into Nick's office in the meanwhile and was talking with Janette comforting her, Janette was now willing to make her statement known to the press...this brave young lady was stepping out into the light for the first time telling her story a story she had not been able to tell to even her own mother. She was doing for others and she was doing it, more importantly, for herself! I have to say here that Senator Xenophon was nearly going to pull the pin on Janette going to air as he had genuine concerns for her emotional well being, in the end Janette made the decision.


Prior to Janette's statement the Senators were supportive of us but there was a degree ambivalence, all agreed that something needed to be done about the behaviour of the church but it was indefinite as to what. After the first few meetings we were well aware that this was going to be a process that we were stepping the steps that eventually lead to such as an inquiry happening, we walking corridors with Xenophon putting real faces to names all in an effort to tip the scales but it was apparent to us that they were not all convinced a Senate Inquiry was the way to go; all said we had one of the most persistent Senators in Parliament on our side and that they knew he would not be giving up. They all wished us the very best and that they too would make themselves available to assist where they felt they could. Then the press conference happened...

Well all of a sudden more and more doors were being opened to us Senators and their advisors they were shifting in their responses 'how do we get this over the line?' the weight opinion was starting to shift and you could feel it, you could see it in their faces they know they have to do something, in my opinion there are few if any real supporters of the church in this parliament, they do support freedom of religion they do not support atrocious behavior, many are conflicted on the best way to go forward.
That in the end was what I believe showed up with the move for an inquiry denied. These people are people who will find a way to do the right thing, I am certain of that.

The momentum is building and it will continue. Parliament is back in 7 weeks from their break, Senator Xenophon and his team will push again.
Meanwhile there is a lot we can do to help the Senator is one man and has a relatively small team. We are many and so we add numbers to his team we can research and gather the needed information tabulate the info so it is usable and submit it, consistently Senators have said if there are matters we know of that should go to the various bodies that deal with such then we should get these into the hands of those bodies.

There are many who come to this message board who have their story to tell but what about getting that to story to the right authority? Well I am willing to assist in that process, I think there are a number of others here on this board who are also willing to assist. The large advantage I now find in being very publicly out of the church is that it removes all doubt as to where I stand I imagine it is the same for the others who have had their faces plastered over the media. Their were a dozen or more exes up at Parliament House on Thursday, they are all now known. We have a green light the Senators have stated they want matters to go to the correct authorities for handling and if those authorities fail to act or take it seriously we have channels to go on tho get these things addressed, I consider by doing this we will add weight to getting things squared around within the church and their behaviour. These matters of conduct whatever they may be will not address aspects of the 'religion'.



James
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
Nice post, James.:thumbsup:

I guess what we need is to show that there is TOO MUCH ABUSE by the cult to try to take them all on an individual case-by-case basis through the legal system - that's the tack I've been taking in my letters and statements etc. anyway.

I think it will work if we keep flooding the media with the horror that we've all experienced to some degree.

There's a lot more to come out and I know of some of it (and have been doing my own little SP bit to see it flushed out into the daylight.) I guess like you I'm willing to help anyone who wants to get their story to a broad audience as I do have contacts that can help - it's the best thing about having my head appear on prime-time.:yes:

Memo to OSAspawn - HEAVY TRAFFIC WARNING :D
 

Cherished

Silver Meritorious Patron
James, what a brilliant post. I loved reading about how your couple of days progressed.

Janette must have felt shell-shocked, moving from almost tagging along to being centre-stage. Was Janette able to speak with her family during all of this process or was it too quick? I really hope she's doing okay (actually, better than okay).
 
Top