Jeffery Kennett says Hi
Shocked to be sitting here. Frankly, people who give money to these churches are idiots.In The Age just now ....
1.40pm
Hillsong leaders’ shopping ‘would embarrass a Kardashian’
By James Massola
Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused Hillsong of breaking financial laws in Australia and around the world and accused founder Brian Houston of “treating private jets like Uber”.
He also accused Houston and successor, Phil Dooley, of using church funds to fly in private jets, take business class flights and purchase luxury goods.
Wilkie used parliamentary privilege to reveal allegations regarding the church’s finances, which he claims were leaked to him by a whistleblower, including that the church earned $80 million more in income in Australian than it reported publicly.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has accused Hillsong of financial impropriety.CREDIT:ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN.
He also claimed the documents were offered to the Australian Tax Office, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission last year under whistleblower legislation.
“Not one of those agencies acted and that is a failure of regulatory oversight every bit as alarming as Hillsong’s criminality,” he said, adding he had verified the documents.
The Tasmanian MP said the documents showed Hillsong was “breaking numerous laws in Australian and around the world relating to fraud, money laundering and tax evasion”.
He said one document showed in 2021 four Houston family members and their friends enjoyed a three-day luxury retreat at Cancun in Mexico using $150,000 of church money.
“And these documents show former leader Brian Houston treating private jets like Ubers, again all with church money. For example, in one three-month period Brian Houston’s trips cost $55,000, $52,000, $30,000, $22,000 and $2000.”
Hillsong founder Brian Houston. CREDIT:KATE GERAGHTY
“The new head of Hillsong, Phil Dooley, has told church followers he only flies economy. But these documents show him clocking up $58,000 in business class flights for him and his daughter to Guatemala, $42,000 in business class flights to Mexico, $32,000 in business class flights from Cape Town to Sydney via the US.”
Wilkie said that Hillsong followers believed the money they put into the poor box goes to the poor, “but these documents show how that money is actually used to do the kind of shopping that would embarrass a Kardashian”.
“For example, $6500 Cartier watch for Bobby Houston, $2500 for Louis Vuitton luggage, a $2500 watch for Phil Dooley, two watches worth $15,000 for Joel and Julia A’Bell, shopping sprees for designer clothes at Saks Fifth Avenue and even $16,000 for custom skateboards.”
Wilkie went on to allege that Hillsong money had been improperly used to pay music royalties to Brian Houston’s son, to buy the Festival Hall in Melbourne for $15.7 million and that hundreds of thousands of dollars in honorariums were paid to US pastors overseas.
“Sending millions of dollars of Australian charitable donations overseas is illegal in some circumstances,” Wilkie said.
Those named in relation to Wilkie’s allegations are yet to respond.
Idiots giving them money like yourself ? As a taxpayer subsidising their tax exempt status ?Shocked to be sitting here. Frankly, people who give money to these churches are idiots.
Bobby Houston got a Cartier watch is pretty funny
I bet the hands on that watch don't even have holes in themShocked to be sitting here. Frankly, people who give money to these churches are idiots.
Bobby Houston got a Cartier watch is pretty funny
The fundamentalists know they can’t win anyone over with truth anymore. The Enlightenment hit them for six and they’ve never recovered the automatic authority that comes with holding the only explanation for the way of things.Here is the road map…
Watch The Family | Netflix Official Site
An enigmatic conservative Christian group known as the Family wields enormous influence in Washington, D.C., in pursuit of its global ambitions.www.netflix.com
It’s hard to keep up with the hypocrisy to be honest 
Owen Jones takes us through the hypocrisy of allowing a far right political editor to air any views he likes because it's on his personal Twitter account.Free speech is going well with the Liberals Tory friends. I believe this is called cancel culture - or does that only apply to one side
Political football: how the UK’s culture wars engulfed the national game
For the first time in 59 years, the BBC’s flagship soccer show is broadcasting without a host because of a row over free speechwww.theguardian.com
BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of ‘rightwing backlash’
Exclusive: Decision to make episode about natural destruction available only on iPlayer angers programme-makers
Lineker's comments were thoroughly unremarkable. Hence the outrage from the right.Free speech is going well with the Liberals Tory friends. I believe this is called cancel culture - or does that only apply to one side
Political football: how the UK’s culture wars engulfed the national game
For the first time in 59 years, the BBC’s flagship soccer show is broadcasting without a host because of a row over free speech
BBC will not broadcast Attenborough episode over fear of ‘rightwing backlash’
Exclusive: Decision to make episode about natural destruction available only on iPlayer angers programme-makers
I didn't invite the Nazis, they just happen to agree with me is not the excuse she thinks it is.I could be misreading the article, but does the tweet quoted by Deeming means she is trying to say that the masked men were not part of the anti trans group?
It states her tweet as
“Disappointed with @VictoriaPolice, who let a bunch of masked men into the LWS buffer zone, terrifying women who were just trying to speak about their rights.”
Moira Deeming vows to fight expulsion push over involvement in protest attended by neo-Nazis
Liberal MP says she has ‘done nothing wrong’ after Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto calls her position ‘untenable’
she seems to be trying to play it as more "I didn't invite the Nazis and they scared my people" (and they happen to agree with her people)
