Howard defends meeting the Exclusive Brethren

PM - Wednesday, 22 August , 2007 18:14:00

Reporter: Peta Donald

MARK COLVIN: Are the Exclusive Brethren a religious group with the same rights as any other, or an 'extremist cult that breaks up families'?

That's the difference at the heart of today's row over the Brethren's meetings with the Prime Minister and the Treasurer. It was sparked by a meeting the Exclusive Brethren had with Mr Howard a fortnight ago. The Prime Minister argues that seeing Australian citizens to discuss their views is part of his job.

But Kevin Rudd says the Exclusive Brethren are different.

He wants to know how much money they're donating to the Liberal Party, and what undertakings they're being given in return.

From Canberra Peta Donald reports.

PETA DONALD: It was a busy day two weeks ago, with Parliament sitting, when the Prime Minister held a meeting with senior leaders of the Exclusive Brethren, in his Canberra office.

The world leader of the organisation, Bruce Hales, known as the Elect Vessel, was among them.

Mr Howard says he was doing his job.

JOHN HOWARD: I do not deny for a moment I've met representatives of the Exclusive Brethren, and why not? They're Australian citizens, it's a lawful organisation, and as Prime Minister I have met an enormous number of organisations. It's my job.

PETA DONALD: The Treasurer Peter Costello was asked on Southern Cross Radio if he's ever met the Exclusive Brethren.

PETER COSTELLO: Yes.

NEIL MITCHELL: Is it unfair to be critical of a meeting with them?

PETER COSTELLO: There's nothing wrong with meeting the Exclusive Brethren. They're Australian citizens, just like anybody else. They seek meetings with their Members of Parliament from time to time. Over the years I've had many meetings with the Exclusive Brethren, just as I have with people from other churches.

This is no crime. In fact the crime would be if a Member of Parliament refused to meet somebody on the basis of their religious convictions.

PETA DONALD: But for the Greens Senator Bob Brown the Exclusive Bretheren are different to other religious groups.

BOB BROWN: This is a sect which forbids its kids from eating or drinking with other kids. This is a sect which forbids thousands of its youngsters, all of them, from going to university. It's a sect which does not allow women to be in the workplace if they're in a superior position to men. And in fact after marriage it doesn't allow women into the workplace at all.

It's a sect which doesn't allow its members to vote or to engage in military service.

PETA DONALD: It's also a sect whose members have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on attack campaigns against the Greens in state elections in Australia, and New Zealand. Its members have bankrolled pro-conservative ads in the US and Canada. Its leaders are based in the Prime Minister's Sydney electorate of Bennelong - where one member's former company spent $370,000 on pro-John Howard ads at the last election.

The leaders of Exclusive Brethren don't speak to the media. A spokesman says the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister came up at the last minute. He says the leaders offered prayers, and talked about the economy - but politics and campaigning at the next election wasn't discussed.

Bob Brown.

BOB BROWN: It converts from the prayers offered in the Prime Minister's office, into the advertisements in the newspapers in Bennelong, and elsewhere, favouring this Prime Minister over Labor and Greens contenders.

Fine, but let that be open....