The West Australian, Fri 11 May 1973 (City edition), p10

Assembly passes Scientology bill

A Bill to lift the ban on the scientology cult in W.A., completed its passage through the Legislative Assembly yesterday, despite Liberal Party opposition.

Although the leader of the Opposition, Sir Charles Court, and several other Opposition members spoke against the Bill, they did not force a division on the second reading, committee and third reading stages.

The bill will now go to the Legislative Council.

Speaking during the second reading debate, Sir Charles said that the Liberal Party would allow its members a free vote.

He believed that the ban, imposed in 1968, had considerable effects on the practice of scientology in W.A. and that it would be wrong to remove the Scientology Act from the Statute Book.

He did not regard the matter as being one of freedom of religion or freedom of worship. Many people wanted action to be taken against scientology because the practice was so cynical and diabolical.

Earlier, Mr A. Mensaros (Lib., Floreat) said that the Minister for Health, Mr Davies, had gone against the advice of the Director of Mental Health, Dr A.S. Ellis, in moving to lift the ban.

Mr Mensaros said: "I think we should have had very convincing reasons presented to us by the Minister why Dr Ellis was wrong and the lay members of the Cabinet were right."

People were under the impression that the existing Act banned scientology. This was not so. The fact that scientologists still exist should be proof of this, he said.

The Bill passed all stages without amendment.


[Press articles on Scientology]