2026-10-23T05:19:02Z https://nostr.now National Secular Lobby https://nostr.now/npub1qs9ptr84cy33jdy73sna34jmslnn9ycx2x0w8snn60nvk367l4mq2s8m3g https://o.mastodon.au/accounts/avatars/109/410/758/631/195/109/original/3818b197912b1725.png https://o.mastodon.au/accounts/avatars/109/410/758/631/195/109/original/3818b197912b1725.png https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstxzn4u2lw492q5g5gpcwgql9aru5j5nh36azjrzz8c4c7rx9x9zczyqzq59vv7hqjxxf5n6xz0kxktwr7wv5nqegeac7zw0f7dj68tm7hvfuzmrf Plymouth Brethren leader Bruce Hales is due before the federal joint committee on electoral matters on Friday, and former and current members tell The Age the church is a controlling sect, not a mainstream religion.<br/><br/>Hales’s submission says he had no involvement in members volunteering for political parties. Twelve shunned former members wrote to the committee that the campaign activity began with his personal decision.<br/><br/>Coalition committee members call the hearing a “witch-hunt”, and Freedom for Faith calls the Brethren a mainstream denomination. The church runs a dozen charities with hundreds of millions in assets, and a finding of electioneering could put their tax concessions at risk.<br/><br/>#auspol<br/><br/><a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/brethren-a-controlling-sect-not-a-religion-say-former-and-current-members-20261014-p615e8.html">https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/brethren-a-controlling-sect-not-a-religion-say-former-and-current-members-20261014-p615e8.html</a> 2026-10-15T06:57:55Z