Howard attacked for links to secret Christian sect the Brethren
By Kathy Marks in Sydney
Published: 23 August 2007
They describe themselves as "a Christian fellowship based on the Holy
Scriptures", but others call them a sect, and they have meddled in
elections in New Zealand and Australia.
So when the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, admitted that he
had recently met leaders of the ultra-conservative Exclusive Brethren,
his critics smelt something unsavoury. The group, an offshoot of the
Plymouth Brethren, with followers in Australia, New Zealand, Britain
and the US, enforces a policy of separation, including from other
Christians. Children are educated in Brethren-run schools; adults work
in Brethren-owned companies. Brethren eat, drink and socialise only
with other Brethren. Television, mobile phones and computers are
banned.
But although members are also forbidden to vote, the group tries to
mould the political landscape. Australian Federal Police are
investigating expenditure of A$370,000 (£150,000) on advertisements
supporting the Howard government by a company owned by Mark Mackenzie,
a senior Breth-ren member, before the last election in 2004.
During the last election in New Zealand, in 2005, the Brethren spent an
estimated A$100,000 on pamphlets attacking the social policies of the
governing Labour Party and the Greens. The former leader of the
conservative National Party, Don Brash, later admitted meeting Brethren
leaders during the campaign, and said he knew about the pamphlets.
Last year, the New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, accused the
group of spreading rumours that her husband, Peter Davis, was
homosexual. She said they had hired a private investigator to follow Mr
Davis. It was later confirmed that the Brethren did recruit a private
detective to investigate Labour politicians. Now an election is due in
Australia before the end of the year, and polls suggest that Mr
Howard's chances of winning a fifth term for his right-wing
Liberal-National Party coalition are slim.
But yesterday he defended his meeting two weeks ago with Brethren
elders, including Mr Mackenzie, and the group's world leader, or "Elect
Vessel", Bruce Hales, in his Sydney electoral office.
"I do not deny for a moment that I have met with members of the
Exclusive Brethren, and why not?" Mr Howard said. "They're Australian
citizens. It's a lawful organisation." Asked about political funding,
he told ABC radio: "As to matters relating to financial support,
they're things that you should talk to the Liberal Party organisation
about."
A Brethren spokesman told local media that the elders had merely
assured the Prime Minister that they were praying for him.
Two other members of the Government, the Treasurer, Peter Costello, and
the Health minister, Tony Abbott, said they had also met Brethren
members. "I have no reason to think they are not people of decency and
goodwill," said Mr Abbott, who is a conservative Roman Catholic.
But the opposition leader, Kevin Rudd, described the Brethren as "an
extremist cult and sect... [that] breaks up families". The group has
also been accused of trying to cover up sexual abuse by a Brethren
elder.
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