I agree with that, the only concessions should be afforded to genuine charitable endeavour which directly benefits society. Sadly this is a very minor part of the church's activities. Look at Sanitarium as an example which is run by 7th day adventist, a very profitable organisation which dodges taxation because it's claimed focus is on "promoting religion". The blowhard righties in HC bleat about Halal which is doing nothing different. The business component of any church or religious group should be taxed at the normal company rates. What does Hillsong do with it's millions?How about church of scientology? Catholic? The Mormons own businesses all across the world. What a scam. It's estimated that the Catholic church has assets in Oz of $30 billion!, thats 30 billion not spent on charity or any other social benefit. Australians are slowly waking up to the scam as this survey reflects. Sadly some still cling to the notion that all is wholesome and proper within the sacred church doors.
"More recently, a worldwide poll conducted by Win-Gallup International, found that 48 per cent of Australians said they were not religious; 10 per cent declared themselves "convinced atheists"; and 5 per cent did not know or did not respond. Only 37 per cent were religious. What's more, the poll placed Australia in the bottom 14 for religiosity and in the top 11 for atheism. Yet the increasing influence and funding of religion in Australia persists.
So why does the government continue to provide financial assistance in the order of $31 billion annually, according to the Secular Party of Australia, to religious institutions that are becoming less relevant to Australians? One explanation lies with the outsourcing of a lot of social welfare to various religious organisations by the Howard government."
