Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Thursday 7 October 1965, page 3


States to

act on

Scientology

report

Action to curb Scientology was forecast yesterday in the Victorian

and NSW Parliaments.

In Melbourne the Victorian Premier, Mr Bolte, said the Scientology report prepared for the State Government and tabled on Tuesday was conclusive enough for action to be taken.

In Sydney the NSW Minister for Health, Mr Jago, said the Government would not let Scientology gain a foothold in the community.

The report by Mr K. V. Anderson QC detailed his inquiries into scicntology, since November, 1963.

Mr Anderson recommen

ded stringent control over the commercial practice of Scientology.

in addition, there should be frequent warnings to the public on the dangers of Scientology, which was described as "a serious threat to the community medically, morally, and socially".

Mr Bolte told the Victorian Legislative Assembly yesterday that it would be difficult to handle the report's main recommendation— — the establishment of a psychologists registration

board.

The Government did not want innocent people to be brought into the net. Many psychologists performed useful services, and they should not be inconvenienced.

'Dangerous

activity'

The State Opposition Leader, Mr Stoneham, said legislation based on the report should go before Parliament as soon as possible and be passed before the present session ended.

'There is no excuse for delaying action any further,"

he said.

The Country Party Leader, Mr Moss, said the Government should go ahead and implement the recommendations in the report.

"The report had revealed the adverse effect Scientology had on the minds of many people.

Replying to a question in Ihe NSW Legislative Assembly. Mr Jago said he had read the Victorian Re

port, and he considered'

Scientology to be a "dangerous and pernicious activity."

Mr Healey (Lib., Wakehurst) said two scicntology groups were operating in Sydney.

Mr Jago said Scientology was one of many organisations which had no proper background or sound scien

tific basis.

"There is cause for concern over the activities of this cult or group," he said.

"Its name, in fact, is home-made and contradictory — 'ology' means 'a science,' and 'scientology' means 'science-science.'

"I will take such steps as are necessary to stop this organisation from taking root and gaining influence in the community."

In Perth yesterday the WA Director of Mental Health Services, Dr A. S. Ellis, said Scientology was a dangerous pseudo - science which catered for emotional cripplcs.

These were credulous, insecure and neurotic people who were looking for some kind of prop. Scientology purported to give them a prop — at a price — but all it really did was- to raise false hopes and delay proper psychiatric treat

ment.

A branch of the sciento logy movement functioned in Perth, but little was

known about it.

The Tasmanian AttorneyGeneral, Mr Fagan, said in Hobart yesterday that, so far as he knew Tasmania was not worried by scient ology.

The South Australian Attorney-General, Mr Dunstan.said said that he was awaiting a copy of the Victorian re

port.