September 21st, 2005 (EB news)

It has been an interesting few weeks. An illuminating public spotlight has fallen directly upon the Exclusive Brethren in an unprecedented manner. The repercussions of their ill-advised foray into New Zealand politics have shown no signs of decreasing:

  • Inquiry 'should look at campaign cash'
    •  - Prime Minister Helen Clark says the usual parliamentary inquiry into the election should look at political party campaign financing and third-party advertising after the Exclusive Brethren's $500,000 pamphlet campaign.

    The secretive church funded the campaign - even though their members don't vote - in an attempt to get National elected by attacking the policies of Labour and the Greens.

    Helen Clark suggested at yesterday's post-Cabinet press conference that third-party endorsements might be something the justice and electoral select committee should focus on in its election review.

    "We've never seen anything quite like what happened this election with third-party endorsement, nor the manner it was used to smear people and parties," she said.

But it's not just Labour and the Green Party who have been affected in New Zealand. Seen as amateurish, negative and hypocritical, the non-voting EB smear campaign has even hurt the party they were trying to help:

  • Nat caucus shares Labour's disquiet over campaign
    •  - We have never witnessed a campaign that was so clearly about the agenda of a few people rather than the broader interests of New Zealand, as evidenced by National's complete lack of policy and its backing from well-off but very marginal right-wing groups.

    It is becoming clear that National's campaign was run by a small cell of individuals within the party, linked to big money both in New Zealand and overseas. This is causing disquiet among National MPs.

    We understand that a number of MPs were deeply embarrassed by the failure of the National leadership to clearly distance the Party from the extreme views of the exclusive Brethren sect.
The secretive and reclusive Exclusive Brethren do not appreciate the spotlight of media attention. The spectacle of seven senior Exclusive Brothers sitting uncomfortably in the glare of a TV studio-based press conference is one of the indelible images of the past few days. It would seem that there are no beneficiaries to the EB-funded smear campaign in New Zealand and the most severely damaged of all are themselves. In a recently published New Zealand 'top ten' of Campaign Moments, the Exclusive Brethren grab the No. 1 position:
  • Campaign Top 10 moments
    •  - 1. Exclusive Brethren brouhaha:
    Members of the reclusive sect spent more than half a million dollars on leaflets attacking Labour and the Greens. Brash belatedly admitted advance knowledge. Then the Brethren were found to be using their children for dodgy phone canvassing.

It remains to be seen what the official Exclusive Brethren reaction to the debacle will be. Earlier reports of a 3-Day Exclusive Brethren Meeting in Sydney have not produced any confirmed response and attention now shifts to Brisbane, where reports indicate that preparations are underway for a large gathering this coming weekend.

It is speculated that there may be signs of possible division among the Exclusive Brethren elite. As news continues to surface and investigations sponsored by both Governments and major news networks gather momentum, there are indicators that there are signs of unrest in certain quarters. A known contender for the leadership of the Exclusive Brethren prior to the establishment of Australian Bruce Hales was New Zealander David Bill in Whangarei, New Zealand. David Bill wrote to the Whangarei Chronicle last week with a letter distancing his local assembly from any involvement in the activities of the so-called EB 'Secret Seven':

The Northern Advocate
14 September 2005 (page 19):

Whangarei Brethren are not involved.

Re the press reporting against the Brethren in the media:

Statements have been made that the Brethren congregations have been funding the pamphlets published lately.

At no time have the Whangarei Brethren collected or forwarded money from the congregation for this campaign.

The responsibility and funding for these has been taken by the seven people named.

Trusting this makes this clear.

- D R Bill
Whangarei, NZ

The implications of the wording and 'distancing' terminology within the above published letter may well act as a warning of impending internal strife following the New Zealand scandal. After all, there is a great deal of Money at stake ... and then there's the issue of unquestioned Power ...

September 20th, 2005 (EB news)

A news round-up for the past few days - it tells its own story:

  • What's Dunne Got Against The Greens?
    •  - "Last year Mr Dunne was also an active lobbyist on behalf of the small religious sect the Exclusive Brethren that spent a huge amount of money attacking Mr Dunne's parliamentary rivals - the Greens. Timothy Lough one of the seven Exclusive Brethren behind the Anti-Labour and Anti-Green Party campaign was able to persuade Mr Dunne to lobby other parliamentary parties on the Exclusive Brethren's behalf in regard to employment legislation late in 2004. Mr Lough explained to Scoop two weeks ago that he considered Mr Dunne was a good electorate MP and a "nice chap"."
  • No Brethren behind Borrows, say Nats
    •  - We have appreciated the support weve had from individuals, he said. Its not the Brethren church thats helping us some who belong to the Brethren church have been concerned about the social direction New Zealand is taking under the Labour government.
  • Crushing Defeat For Cannabis Prohibitionists
    •  - "A hugely expensive campaign to knock the Greens out of Parliament, run by the Exclusive Brethren, was a flop. The so-called "Moral Right" made stopping cannabis law reform a big issue, and they failed dismally," he said."
  • Dozens of electioneering complaints
    • - "The Green Party plans to formally complain about Exclusive Brethren pamphlets it claims were delivered on election day in the Wigram electorate. Campaign manager Russell Norman says party members in Wigram say the pamphlets turned up in their letterboxes after they had cleared the morning's mail. Norman says he has only heard of this happening in Wigram and does not know whether the blame lies with the Exclusive Brethren or whoever was delivering the pamphlets. But he says it's a clear breach of the law and he wants it investigated."
  • Brethren leaflets may have cost Greens a seat
    • - "The Greens have filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office, but are yet to hear back on the outcome. A spokeswoman for the office said she could not say when its investigation would be completed. The Greens are likely to lodge a further complaint after another Brethren pamphlet drop in Christchurch just hours before polling day."
  • God's flock left out in the cold
    • - "But despite the supposed disenchantment with Labour's depraved 'social engineering', religion's only real impact came courtesy of the Exclusive Brethren and their covert pamphleteering..."
  • Brethren won't be breaking out bubbly
    •  - "Exclusive Brethren members have refused to comment on the election outcome, saying they are not political experts and have no agenda... Auckland businessman Neville Simmons, one of the seven Brethren members to admit responsibility for the pamphlets, said it would be unwise to comment. "

September 16th, 2005 (EB news)

A new Exclusive Brethren-funded Smear Campaign ad has appeared in the New Zealand press. We reproduce it below: (Click on image for larger version)

Click to view larger image Click to view larger image

A list of Exclusive Brethren names on the ad is the identical approach taken in USA last year. Exactly how a list of New Zealand Exclusive Brethren is meant to help the NZ electorate decide (particularly following the events of the past few days) is a mystery. It would seem the the Exclusives continue to remain blissfully unaware of the condition of their credibility in New Zealand!

The names on the ad copy are:

F. Moore, P. Forrest, E. Stanners, M. Judd, M. Suckling, G. Deck, D. Watt, D. Everest, R. Hickmott, A. Deck, A. Hewetson. M. Hewetson, G. Smith, T. Lough, R. McLean, D. Moore, R. Hill, M. Simmons, R. Currie, M. Goudie, C. Hall, S. Davis, N. Walton, J. Anderson, M. Prestidge, S. Currie, A. Smith, D. Smith, S. Bliss, M. Blampied, N. Powell, V. Beetham, R. Judd, D. Heath, P. Win, N. Cottle, G. Mason, N. Simmons, P. Bishop, A. Simmons, G. Allaway, S. Wallace, C. Holt, T. Wearmouth, A. Brodie, D. Cottle, P. Foster and R. Murray.

The now notorious 'Secret Seven' are present, shown in red.

The Ad was authorized by: M. Powell, 30 Stephen Lysnar Place, Mt. Roskill. A previous ad gave the address as '3 Stephen Lysnar Place, Mt. Roskill' ... which turned out to be fictitious. It is considered by many that the Exclusives have intentionally flaunted NZ law in mis-naming and mis-addressing their smear campaign material.

September 16th, 2005 (EB news)

There are reports emerging of a major Exclusive Brethren gathering at Ermington St., Sydney, Australia. We anticipate that this will be a significant occasion, with Bruce Hales doubtlessly in attendance. Peebs.Net have been promised photos of the gathering and we'll publish them here as they arrive.

Earlier reports described very tight security, a number of marquees and 'what looks like a portable fridge in the parking lot'. Send any information and media to our normal email address: info@peebs.net.

September 15th, 2005 (EB news)

The following article appeared in Canadas' The Vancouver Sun and the Ottawa Citizen today. We are currently unable to bring you a web link for this report, so it is reproduced below. One or two of the names mentioned in the article will be recognized by site members.

Christian sect 'likely' to play election role

Unsophisticated group could harm mainstream religious activists: expert

Sept 15th, 2005

Peter O'Neil, The Vancouver Sun

The Exclusive Brethren, a deep-pocketed religious sect now causing a political storm in New Zealand, will almost certainly play a role in the upcoming federal election, two former sect members say.

One U.S. academic warned that the sect, which secretly waged a campaign against Canada's gay marriage law earlier this year, is an unsophisticated group that could tarnish mainstream Canadian religious activists, as well as Stephen Harper's Conservative party.

"The greatest risk is probably of embarrassment," George Washington University professor Peter Caws said yesterday.

He said the Brethren, who don't let members attend university, watch TV, vote or have social contact with non-members, are mostly successful-but-frugal entrepreneurs flush with cash for political activism.

He described them as "political novices" who could do "illegal or actionable things or say ill-informed or stupid things, that would rub off on" political allies.

The Brethren blundered last year when members broke American election financing laws. They illegally used $377,262 U.S. from a member in Britain to run ads in American papers in favour of President George W. Bush.

The Brethren, who were founded in 1825 and number at least 40,000 around the world, have so far spent $400,000 to $800,000 attempting to discredit the Green party and the ruling Labour Party in New Zealand. That's a huge amount given restrictions on election spending in that country.

Dr. Don Brash, leader of New Zealand's conservative National Party and a contender to become prime minister after the Sept. 17 vote, was forced last week to publicly declare to New Zealanders that he misled -- though "I did not lie to" -- voters about his knowledge of the Brethren campaign.

Dr. Brash initially said he knew nothing about the campaign, then admitted he had met several times with Brethren leaders and was warned of the planned tactics.

Mr. Caws and Ian Markham, dean of the Hartford Seminary in Connecticut, said the Canadian Exclusive Brethren -- believed to number only a few thousand -- will almost certainly get involved in the Canadian election if gay marriage remains an issue.

Mr. Harper has vowed to revisit the recently passed gay marriage law, a commitment that has resulted in social conservative activists continuing their fight to elect MPs who will repeal the law after an election, which is expected no later than April 2006.

"Given the Exclusive Brethren are called by God to ensure that the total, rampant depravity of humanity doesn't fully express itself, and given that gay marriage is obviously abhorrent to them, then the Exclusives do have an obligation to do everything they possibly can to make sure those opposed to gay marriage are in positions of power," Mr. Markham said in an interview.

"I'm sure they'll take an interest in the Canadian election if that's a key issue."

September 15th, 2005 (EB Background)

In an effort to assist the ongoing investigation of the Exclusive Brethren business empire, the following Peebs.Net Case Study sheds some light on current EB motives, intent and strategy.

RATBY DISTRIBUTION LIMITED - A UK-based Exclusive Brethren company

Name & Registered Office:
RATBY DISTRIBUTION LIMITED
UNIT 4 BOUNDARY HOUSE
CUTTERS CLOSE NARBOROUGH
LEICESTER
LE19 2FZ

UK Company No. 05483316

Status: Active
Date of Incorporation: 16/06/2005

Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Company Type: PRI/LTD BY GUAR/NSC (Private, limited by guarantee, no share capital)

Accounting Reference Date: 30/06
Last Accounts Made Up To:
Next Accounts Due: 16/04/2007
Last Return Made Up To:
Next Return Due: 14/07/2006

Reading the Memorandum of Association of this company reveals some unique, extraordinary and worrying details that may well be of interest to the many journalist and researchers who are currently investigating the Exclusive Brethren business network.

Key areas to note are:

  • The prime focus of this company is to financially 'assist Brethren' on a worldwide basis.
  • To make 'grants and loans' to '... any person, association, company, local authority, administrative or governmental agency or public body as may be thought fit for or towards charitable or other purposes in any way connected with or calculated to further the objects of the Company'.
  • to make 'donations to any political party'
  • to 'take and defend legal actions'

The relevant clauses in this sample Case Study gives the 'Minister of the Lord in the Recovery', in this case Australian Bruce D. Hales, absolute power of veto in all matters. It is interesting to note that Hales has the capability of receiving automatic admission to the Board should the existing Board Members become unavailable - we would hope that this could only ever be accidental.

Other documents published on this site show similar terminology to that seen above. In essence, Bruce Hales already seems to have ultimate authority in possibly hundreds, maybe even thousands of Exclusive Brethren companies, charities, trusts and enterprises on a world-wide basis.

The recent announcement of a new Exclusive Brethren initiative called 'National Office Assist' (see recent Peebs.Net News) gives credence to plans for a global fiscal structure that controls the finances of all Exclusive Brethren businesses.

With the existing wording in known Exclusive Brethren Trusts and Charities, Bruce Hales also has the ability to influence financial transfers within both charitable and non-charitable EB institutions. The ability to transfer large sums of money to where they are needed on a global basis is therefore already in place and fiscally enabled.

Other powers that Bruce Hales wields:

  • His words are transcribed verbatim into 'ministry' books that are printed and sold by the Exclusive Brethren-owned Bible and Gospel Trust (See Peebs.Net News August 27th, 2005);
  • His words are treated as having the authority of Scripture - absolute power;
  • He has the right to take over any corporation that contains clauses as seen above;
  • He has the right to take ownership of Exclusive Brethren Meeting Rooms in the event of a dispute. (This gives him the power to take control of worldwide real estate valued at many hundred $Millions.)

With corporations such as RATBY DISTRIBUTION, the Exclusive Brethren business machine has the stated intent of affecting politics on a worldwide basis. They have the wealth and the business structure to do so. Recent news from USA, Canada, Australia and now New Zealand indicates that this strategy is now a reality.

September 15th, 2005 (EB News)

Breaking News in Australia:

  • Brethren linked to Howard campaign
    •  - "The Exclusive Brethren, a moralistic sect causing a political furore in the New Zealand general election, has been connected to a campaign for the re-election of John Howard and the self-confessed adulterer Ross Cameron. The sect's MET school at Meadowbank was the address used to authorise political advertisements by Stephen Hales, the brother of Bruce Hales, a Sydney businessman and world leader of the Brethren's 70,000 followers."

Ex-Exclusive John Wallis, known to many of us on this site, has given a radio interview hosted on ABC's 'The World Today'. At last media is helping the Truth emerge. The program states they attempted to contact Bruce Hales, "... but was unsuccessful. Family members instead referred us to books and a website about the group.".

Other News:

One has to feel sorry for the Open Brethren in New Zealand. They have been forced to change the front page of their web site in order, we presume, to escape criticism of the Exclusive Brethren from an angry public. The EB's of course, split from the evangelically-based Open Brethren in the late 1800's.

Feedback regarding the NZ 'Secret Seven':

  • This weblog displays the two Exclusive Brethren pamphlets side by side, showing beyond doubt that they have a genetic similarity that is indisputable.
    • - "Yet Greg Mason, one of the Exclusive Brethren businessman behind New Zealand's anti-Green leaflets, said in Herald on Sunday today that his 'Green Delusion' pamphlet was created from scratch, without international inspiration. After comparing the pamphlets below, I'm sure you'll agree that Mr Mason's claim can only be described as absolute garbage."
  • Peebs.Net has received more external hits from this NZ-based political weblog than any other. They seem to have done their homework
    • - "... Mason is a liar. I fail to see why anything those men [the Exclusive Brethren 'Secret Seven'] say should be trusted. Their contempt for the rest of us is quite evident."

September 14th, 2005 (EB News)

The following wins the Peebs.Net 'Article of the Week' Award.

The Devil dished up pride to tempt the Brethren Seven

15 September 2005

By ROSEMARY McLEOD

When views intended to influence voters are disseminated without proper attribution, it's insidious and verges on the deceitful.

Obviously God's a droll sort of a chap, but I don't think he'd have pulled off a prank like the Exclusive Brethren one. So has it been the Devil's work, then? The Brethren will be mortifying their flesh with whips and flails as the answer slowly dawns on them.

The Devil is adept at enticing the unwary, and chooses his bait with care. For this stunt he must have pulled out a juicy, wriggling fat worm of pride for them to gulp down.

The Brethren are rich and righteous, and proud of it. That was his entry point, and they fell for it. Do you doubt that the Devil exists? They don't. That's why they live in closed communities and shun outsiders.

But the old prankster was in their midst, as he always is, and he likes nothing better than making people do the wrong thing for the right reasons.

The Magnificent Seven, Brethren producers of those costly pamphlets supporting National, are such a well-nourished looking crew that they remind me of hefty sides of prime beef. By now they ought to be Kobe beef, beautifully marbled by sound, self-inflicted whippings. Surely even they must realise they've made a mistake.

Until the Brethren's link with National leader Don Brash was revealed, the issue of morality, in the Brethren sense of the word, had merely simmered beneath the surface of things in this election.

Now that they've forced it into the open, they've also forced a polarisation that will rebound on them.

The idea of seeming to side with the hard-line, censorious Brethren on anything will be too much for many fair-minded people who may have toyed with voting National.

They may have been unhappy with Labour's experimental direction, legalising prostitution and gay marriages, but fundamentalist Protestantism is scary too. A choice between tolerance and intolerance is no choice at all, because once you buy into intolerance, you never know when the spotlight will fall on you.

It took some doing, but the Brethren have managed to make gay marriage look almost good. They've also reminded us that Brash was a bit of a fundamentalist in his time, and have made his customary white shirts and dark suits curiously resemble their own garb.

With friends like these he's been handicapped, not helped. He should have seen that coming in those meetings with them that his colleagues and would-be minders didn't know about.

It's odd how everyone pussyfoots around the Brethren. Why? Do they have some spooky special power to rain frogs down on their critics?

The only power I'm aware of is their hold over their "sistern", who live as a subject race, denied education or involvement in the outside world, condemned to wear headscarves and 1950s frocks. For some deeply religious reason they also seem to be denied tweezers and lipstick.

But, of course, the Brethren also exercise the power of exclusion of anyone who leaves the sect. I know a woman who did. The Brethren guarded her dying mother's hospital room so that her own children, by now all apostates, couldn't say goodbye to her. The Brethren want to influence our morality, but this sort of morality doesn't inspire respect.

What's wrong with the Brethren's pamphlet campaign? Nothing, if they admitted who they were when they printed them.

Putting their personal names to them wasn't the full story, as they well knew. That's why they didn't spell out their allegiance. When views intended to influence voters are disseminated without proper attribution, it's insidious and verges on the deceitful, another moral position I don't admire.

The Brethren don't vote, being unworldly beings except in the matter of accumulating money, but they want to influence voting anyway. How does this wish to vote by proxy make sense, exactly?

They won't use technology in their businesses, but they hire other people to use it on their behalf. Isn't this a bit like hiring other people to commit crimes for you, and then claiming that you're not morally culpable for their actions? Is God impressed by such wacky logic?

They also reportedly want us to beef up our defence policy, and prepare to fight the forces of darkness hovering at our ocean borders, six-guns at the ready.

So will the Brethren be volunteering for front-line positions? Or is that another responsibility they'll choose to duck?

By ROSEMARY McLEOD

Original Article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/0,2106,3410710a11095,00.html

September 13th, 2005 (EB News)

A welcome and enthusiastic investigation of the Exclusive Brethren has spread from New Zealand to Australia - and reports have now appeared as far abroad as Taiwan, India, USA and UK. This morning saw an international press release broadcast on Reuters, indicating that other major international news reporters will doubtlessly begin conducting their own investigations.

Conspiracy theories abound, but the real spotlight must fall upon the Australia-based Exclusive Brethren leadership. The fact is that the Exclusive Brethren are not particularly interested in being linked to other Christians, right-wing or not. Their brand of 'christianity' centers solely upon themselves ... they alone represent 'the true church'.

This site hopes that investigations will continue to open those 'closed doors' and display the truth behind the Exclusive Brethren. Australian Bruce D. Hales needs to answer some very important questions relating to strategy, finance, business activites, international money transfers, taxation and basic human rights within the "wealthy cult" that he leads.

  • Step to the right as the brethren gather force
    •  - "A scandal in New Zealand over election money from a fringe group reflects a trend, writes Marion Maddox. The women wear headscarves in public. Their religion opposes assimilation, and they educate children at home or in their own schools. Fearing the taint of the godless, they refuse to eat with unbelievers. They reject democracy, and work towards God's rule. Yes, it is the Exclusive Brethren... "

September 13th, 2005 (EB News)

The Australian Senate was the scene yesterday for some very pointed and important questions regarding recent Exclusive Brethren political activity in Australia and its relationship to the Exclusive Brethren Smear Campaign in New Zealand.

Relevant material will be found on pages 17-18 and 27-28 in the full Hansard minutes (pp 31-32,41-42 in the downloaded 117 page document). Peebs.Net take the unusual step in publishing the extracts here in full to ensure that the content is available for worldwide search engine indexing.

Here follows a copy of the content of the above extracts:

Federal Election Pamphlet Senator BOB BROWN (2.29 pm)

My question is to the Special Minister of State. Will the minister investigate a pamphlet headed Keep Howard in Bennelong: what John Howard promises, he delivers and the first item is lower interest rates, believe it or notthat was circulated in Bennelong during the last election campaign and had an authorisation from an address of MET School, 32 See Street, Meadowbank by S. Hale?

Would he investigate whether that is an Exclusive Brethren church, whether it is funded by taxpayers and whether any taxpayers money directly or indirectly found its way to supporting the Prime Ministers campaign? I also ask the minister: will he establish whether the Prime Minister met with Mr Bruce Hales, the world leader of the Exclusive Brethren church, which advocates that people should not vote?

Later ...

Senator BOB BROWN

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Was Mr Bruce Hales, who may or may not have met the Prime Minister and who heads up this church, associated with the authorising of that leaflet in John Howards electorate? Is it the same Bruce Hales who orchestrated $500,000 to support the campaign of George Bush last year and is that the same Exclusive Brethren church which now in an international conspiracy... [interrupted]

The PRESIDENT

Order! Senators on my right will come to order.

Senator BOB BROWN

... and a shadowy conspiracy have turned up in New Zealand with a $500,000 campaign against Labour and the Greens using brochures with the exact same template as those that were used in Tasmania during the last election campaign and supporting Mr Brash, the leader of National, who at first lied about the existence of this support but then had to back down?

From Question Time:

A question has arisen in New Zealand about the funding of pamphlets which have been dropped nationwide in the run-up to that countrys elections on Saturday. I was in New Zealand two weeks ago and warned that some of the dirty-tricks campaign that was used in the election campaign here in Australia might surface there. I had no sooner left the country than, on Saturday a week ago, a pamphlet was dropped nationwide condemning the Green Party in New Zealand, which, of course, has nine members of parliament and will have a lot to do with who forms government after the election on Saturday.

The following day, a pamphlet was dropped nationally about the Labour Party, and more have followed since. To cut a long story short, after a lot of denials by the leader of National as it is called there, the leader of the opposition, Dr Don Brash, it has now surfaced that he had known that a series of pamphlets was in the making, and that these were being funded by the very shadowy Exclusive Brethren church.

A couple of days ago, seven business people who are members of that sect admitted that they were behind the pamphlet drop. It is interesting that one of the seven, Greg Mason, according to the New Zealand Herald, said on Sunday that is, the Sunday before last that the pamphlets were created from scratch, without overseas inspiration. However, that is not true. I find this very difficult to believe that somebody, on behalf of a church which does not vote and looks askance at politics, should be so clearly able to deceive people on the public record.

A pamphlet that was distributed in Tasmania, and authorised by one M. William Mackenzie of 11 Baden Powell Place, North Rocks, New South Wales, in October of last year, against the Greens, was the template for the pamphlet that has now been used in New Zealand against the Greens. In other words, Mr Mason was not telling the truth. The fact is that the information from Australia has been injected into the election campaign in New Zealand to try to ensure the election of National against the election of Labour and/or the Greens in New Zealand.

Why should this matter? Well, everybody has a right to take part in election campaigns, even if they do not vote and of course in New Zealand voting is not compulsory. But what is emerging here is that the Exclusive Brethren is in fact orchestrating an international campaign to have right-wing governments elected.

It has spent some $500,000 on advertisements in the United States on behalf of what was called Thanksgiving Committee 2004, to support the re-election campaign of President Bush. It emerges that here in Australia a pamphlet, or a number of pamphlets indeed, that circulated in Prime Minister Howards own electorate of Bennelong were authorised from an address in Meadowbank, which I gave during question time, in See Street, which turns out to be a school of the Exclusive Brethren.

The question, which was not answered by the minister but which should be answered, is whether that was a legitimate use of that address and whether the S. Hales who used that address is related to the Mr Bruce Hales who is the world leader of the Exclusive Brethren.

All I say is: Let this information be out in front of the public. It is quite wrong for a Christian church, one which believes in telling the truth, to not be telling the whole truth. They might look at the ninth commandment, because it is important that the public not be misled on the way to the ballot box. If people are authorising pamphlets on behalf of a religious group, or an organisation of any sort, they ought to say so, and not deceive people into believing that individuals, of their own vocation, are authorising and funding these pamphlets, when in fact that is not the case it is the Exclusive Brethren church.

I will have more to say about this because I intend to pursue the matter with the Electoral Office.

September 12th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

It certainly comes as no surprise to many associated with this site that there might be an 'Australian Connection' linked to the political turmoil in New Zealand over the past few days. After all, the Exclusive Brethren, publicly labelled today as a "wealthy cult", are carefully controlled by their current Australian leader, Bruce D. Hales. The Exclusive Brethren do not dare to operate independantly as this is grounds for immediate asembly discipline. As journalists and government officials dig deeper we sense that the trail can only lead to one destination.

  • NZ PM questions Aussie tactics
    •  - "AUSTRALIAN fingerprints were on underhanded election tactics allegedly being employed by its conservative opponents, according to New Zealand's Labour Government."
  • Aussies 'meddling in NZ campaign'
    •  - "New Zealand's Labour government says Australian fingerprints are on underhanded election tactics allegedly being employed by its conservative opponents. The anonymous letter-drop campaign by NZ members of the reclusive international Exclusive Brethren Christian sect and their connections to National has given the prime minister more ammunition."

Other news from New Zealand:

  • Exclusive Brethren trot out new leaflets
    •  - "The Exclusive Brethren-driven pamphlet campaign to change the Government has hit overdrive. Labour MP Pete Hodgson said the content of the latest pamphlets indicated that the Exclusive Brethren had teamed up with the National Party. "They are now pushing all the same buttons National is pushing. This very wealthy cult has teamed up with a major political party, and the leader of that party expects the public to believe he has not discussed their activities with them," he said."
  • New pamphlets perpetuate lies
    •  - "I can't imagine why these Exclusive Brethren would continue to waste their money on this campaign of lies and half-truths now that everyone is aware of what they are up to..."

September 12th, 2005 (EB Community News)

"Behind Closed Doors" author, Ngaire Thomas, has given her permission to re-serialize the best-selling book of her life in New Zealand in the Exclusive Brethren. With the current intense interest in the Exclusive Brethren, this seemed an ideal time to repeat the serialization. Ngaire often acts as the unofficial spokesperson for the ex-Exclusive Community and is fast becoming a well-recognized personality on New Zealand TV.

If you have never read this honest, courageous and touching account of what life is like living under what the press have recently called a "christian Taleban", then click on the banner at the top of the screen and read Chapter One - Public Perceptions.

September 12th, 2005 (EB News)

As the past and present members of the Peebs.Net Team are "hell-bound" (see Guestbook entry today) we feel a little warmer ... and delighted that the Exclusive Brethren have now at least two people who are prepared to publicly defend the actions and 'morality' of this "modern day Taleban".

  • More pamphlets, more reminders of Brash's lies
    •  - "This pamphlet campaign is shrouded in distortions and misleading statements ... "Don Brash must front up and fully explain his discussions with this extreme sect, and what the real nature of the relationship between the National Party and the Exclusive Brethren is," Pete Hodgson said."
    Note: The above article has a link to download scans of all pamphlets.
  • Under the blowtorch
    • - "The front-page pictures of Brethren members, accompanied by the headlines, We are doing God's Work, will rest uneasily with mainstream New Zealanders. Dr Brash's failure to sense the danger of embracing a secretive Christian sect whose offers of assistance extended to half a million dollars' worth of questionable campaign material and a seemingly nationwide grassroots campaign is inexplicable."
  • Brash and the Brethren: The Real Problem
    •  - "The Exclusive Brethren certainly have been campaigning for National with a vengeance. The leaflet campaign is costing an amount equivalent to between a seventh and a quarter of National's entire campaign budget. Their members do nothing without the church's permission. It has now emerged that they have (with National's knowledge) also helped put up National billboards, delivered National campaign material, and even helped run National phone polls. There are reports that they have been engaged in 'push-polling'..."

We are informed that Australias' Dateline program on SBS TV will be screening some material related to the Exclusive Brethren funded Smear Campaign on Wednesday, September 14th at 8:30pm.

September 11th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

More lies from the Exclusive Brethren? These so-called christians truly "defy belief"!

  • Brethren's pamphlet first used in Australia
    • - "It defies belief that the 'Green Delusion' pamphlet did not originate overseas, as one of the Exclusive Brethren 'Secret Seven' is claiming, because it is virtually identical to anti-Green propaganda distributed in Australia before last October election there, Green Co-Leader Rod Donald says. Exclusive Brethren businessman Greg Mason has said in today's Herald on Sunday that the 'Green Delusion' pamphlets published by him and others here "were created from scratch, without overseas inspiration"."
  • Brethren pamphlet has Aussie double
    • - "Meanwhile, National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee clarified comments he made on TVNZ's Agenda programme on Saturday that an "audit" had shown some National volunteers were Exclusive Brethren. Asked how many they found, he said: "I haven't got a number"."
  • Greens find pamphlet clone
    •  - "One of the seven, Greg Mason, told the Herald on Sunday their pamphlets were created from scratch without overseas inspiration. He refused to comment further."

And perhaps equally extraordinary, the lone voice of New Zealander Craig Tice, "who does computer work for church members":

  • Outsider defends Brethren
    •  - "Mr Tice said he was not part of the Exclusive Brethren but from what he knew of the sect its members were rational and had a very high standard of morality and ethics. "They have non-negotiable values consistent with the highest Christian ideals.""

    Mr Tice, the values we see represented by these self-styled Exclusive Brethren leaders is not even remotely Christian! The vast majority of non-Christians display greater morality and most people do not publicly tell lies. They are a disgrace.

    September 11th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

    Here is an insightful article that views the worldwide link between 'fundamentalist' Christians and right-wing conservative politics.

    • John Hinchcliff: Let the will of the people rule
      • - "There is the obvious contradiction of believers who abstain from voting because their God intervenes in history by raising and dismissing governments, then deciding God's work cannot be successful without their money and propaganda."

    The author has one major error in his assessment of the Exclusive Brethren. The Exclusives do not follow Christ. Today, they follow the teachings of one man - Australian Bruce D. Hales. His words have more day-to-day impact for these extremists than those of Jesus Christ. This is a classic symptom of a cult.

    Adherence to his teachings (some would say 'babblings') is both demanded and enforced. As in any dictatorship, questioning is unthinkable. The alternative for a member of the Exclusive Brethren who wishes to think independently, is bleak: to question the 'Elect Vessel' means losing ones' home (normally secured by an EB mortgage); losing ones' job (almost all Exclusives work for an Exclusive business); losing ones' family (shunning is followed by excommunication); and losing ones' rights to contact family (the evil of the EB 'Separation' edict).

    To compare the Exclusive Brethren with the average fundamental Christian is not comparing apples with apples. They 'talk the talk', but the evidence is clear - todays Exclusive Brethren obviously do not 'walk the same walk'.

    September 11th, 2005 (EB News)

    Investigation continues into the business structure and extent of control within the Exclusive Brethren. Linkages between the 'Secret Seven' in New Zealand and the Exclusive Brethren Leader. Australian Bruce D. Hales are outlined in the following article published today:

    Latest from New Zealand:

    • 'Deviant' policies bring the Brethren out of dark
      •  - "Taranaki Exclusive Brethren members appear to have been working for months behind the scenes in a "co-ordinated" campaign"
    • Backgrounder: Exclusive Brethren's Lobby MP's On Unions
      •  - "The Exclusive Brethren do not normally appear in the news. However, last week their attempts to influence this year's general election in favour of the National Party received a great deal of coverage. Whilst the Exclusive Brethren have historically shied away from politics, they have previously been involved in lobbying politicians regarding certain legislation which they consider affects their lives..."

    September 10th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

    Latest from New Zealand:

    • National rides rollercoaster polls
      •  - "The Exclusive Brethren Church was last night accused of using young teenagers in a mucky election tactics ... The pollster identified himself by name as a 14-year-old who went to the Brethren-run Westmount School in Auckland's Mangere Bridge. Labour's Kaikoura candidate, Brendon Burns, said young callers had been push-polling his electorate, and he had parked his caravan outside the Exclusive Brethren church to protest. Labour's Invercargill candidate, Wayne Harpur, blamed the church for push-polling of his electorate, though the church had denied it. "These kinds of underhand tactics really cut right to the core of democracy," he said."
    • Brash survives Brethren fiasco
      •  - "Burns said he was "100 per cent sure" the polling was connected to Exclusive Brethren who have "strongholds" in Blenheim and Motueka. National campaign manager Steven Joyce said National did not conduct any push polling."

    Whether there is a change of government in New Zealand in 2005 or not, the entire event has been an unmitigated disaster for the Exclusive Brethren. Not only do they publicly win 'Hypocrites of the Year' Award, more importantly to this site, a whole mass of professional journalists are starting to rightly sense that there is something deeply wrong within this self-centered and arrogant group of so-called christian fundamentalists.

    • Kerre Woodham: The 'elusive' Brethren
      •  - "There's the inherent hypocrisy in a group of fundamentalist Christians refusing to vote because they believe governments are ordained by God and then spending a fortune attempting to influence the make-up of that government. Don't they trust God to do the job properly?"

    Far more important than the world of politics are the lives and pain of many hundreds of ex-members whose families have been ripped apart by the Exclusive Brethren. These people do not display mercy. It is not a trait in dictatorships. Fear works. It is a historically proven tool of manipulation.

    This site welcomes the signs of on-going investigation into the business affairs of the Exclusive Brethren. Peebs.Net has a copy of a confidential memorandum sent to all Exclusive Brethren businesses July 21st, 2005, signed by the international leadership of the EB. The implications of this document in introducing 'National Office Assist' are adequately defined and described in the news report from earlier today (Brethren enter new age ). Please contact Peebs.Net if you would like a copy of the original memorandum.

    Although the political 'heat' of the past few days in New Zealand will subside, Peebs.Net remains dedicated to assisting the propagation of Truth regarding the Exclusive Brethren. Feel free to contact the Peebs.Net Team in confidence at info@peebs.net.

    September 10th, 2005 (EB News)

    New Zealand journalists are starting to investigate the Exclusive Brethren with long overdue thoroughness. The business linkages are important, because the 'life-blood' of the Exclusives is no longer evangelical fervor, it is money. The following article begins that process.
    Exclusive Brethren businessmen (from left) Phil Winn, Greg Mason, Neville Simmons, Andrew Simmons, Doug Watt, Tim Lough and Andy Smith.

    New Zealands' National Party must be regretting the day they allowed the Exclusive Brethren to become involved. Like an out-of-control truck, leaflets continue to be delivered even though the credibility of content is now almost non-existent - they are simply news-worthy due to their sudden notoriety.

    • Brethren distributes two more pamphlets
      • - "Don Brash yesterday apologised to the public, and to his deputy, Gerry Brownlee, for misleading statements about pamphlets produced by the Exclusive Brethren. The same day, the sect began distributing two more."
    • John Armstrong: Brownlee voice of desperation
      • - "Don Brash's confession that he had been aware all along of the covert campaign being run by members of the Exclusive Brethren ..."

    The following describes yet another electoral tactic - possibly one of the first documented examples of Exclusive Brethren voluntarily contacting the 'outside world' for many years:

    • Telephone push polling in Marlborough
      •  - "Kaikoura electorate Labour candidate Brendon Burns has said he believes members of Marlborough's Exclusive Brethren church are behind the polling, describing it as "vicious, nasty and sinister".

    And in summary, an article whose title underlines the depths to which the credibility and 'christian' witness of the Exclusive Brethren has sunk.

    • Gutter politics in South
      •  - "Labour's Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope claimed the Exclusive Brethren was covertly delivering National Party pamphlets"

    September 9th, 2005 (EB News)

    As was anticipated, the uproar in New Zealand is starting to produce some much-needed investigative journalism. Peebs.Net are aware of several in-depth efforts in both New Zealand and Australia. One such article is from today's Dominion Post in Wellington, NZ:

    • Sect's secret seven 'worth millions'
      •  - "... Brethren members around the world contributed more than $50 million each year through church collections and bequests to the religion's international leader, Bruce Hales, who is based in Sydney"

    Christened 'The Secret Seven' by New Zealand press, New Zealanders Tim Lough, Doug Watt, Phil Win, Neville Simmons, Greg Mason, Andrew Simmons, and Andy Smith claim to be acting as individuals as opposed to acting on behalf of the Exclusive Brethren. To those who know the Exclusive Brethren, this is utterly ridiculous! Individualism is not a trait of the EB ... they must have had the full support of Bruce D. Hales, the Exclusive Brethren Leader in Australia, in order to have conducted so many private political meetings in the run-up to the NZ elections. More importantly, the EB Leadership keeps a very tight rein on cashflow, even to the extent of forming 'Office-Assist' - a business management Exclusive Brethren initiative that is clearly designed to enable Australian control of all EB business income - world-wide. (More on this site shortly.)

    Latest News from New Zealand:

    • The secret seven are a blight on the Nats
      •  - "... and now, out of the woodwork, crawls Christianity's equivalent of the Taleban, backing a party led by a man whose vote ensured the Prostitution Reform Act was passed."
    • Peter Dunne's Relationship With The Exclusive Brethren
      •  - "When I pointed out [to the Exclusive Brethren in 2000] that you had to have fair industrial relations and you can't discriminate against people on the grounds of race creed or colour I didn't get half a million dollars thrown at me assisting my election campaign"
    • New leaflet expected from Brethren
      •  - "The leaflet is understood to be authorised by a resident of the Auckland suburb of Mount Roskill"

    September 8th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

    Just in from Australia:

    • Church group weighs in to NZ election
      •  - "New Zealanders have just learnt that an expensive, last-minute anti-Labour Government leaflet campaign is the work of the Exclusive Brethren, an arch conservative group who are forbidden to vote, eschew worldly issues and even technology"

    Latest news from New Zealand:

    • Labour may go to court over leaflets
      •  - "They are in breach of the Electoral Act; if they're over the limit you've got to stop spending. It's as simple as that."
    • Editorial: Clumsiness not exclusive to Brethren
      •  - "Their [The Exclusive Brethren] covertness, even if within the bounds of the Electoral Act, was reprehensible. ... their confession served only to invite ridicule and accusations of hypocrisy."
    • John Armstrong: Brethren blunder a spin doctor's worst nightmare
      •  - "... the Exclusive Brethren sect responsible for distributing the now-infamous pamphlet which grossly distorts Green Party policies."
    • National / Exclusive Brethren links are not new
      •  - "I am surprised to read the Exclusive Brethren are promoting National with a half a million dollar PR campaign considering that that is the same Church that lobbied MPs in the past seeking Two Standards Of Law. They want to have the power to hire and fire people on the basis of whether they are sufficiently "Christian" as opposed to, I don't know, being Muslim or atheist or Jewish."

    September 8th, 2005 (EB News)

    The Exclusive Brethren are perhaps now starting to appreciate what it is to be shunned. They have caused untold political damage to the party they were attempting to 'help' in New Zealand. They are now a political 'hot potato' and their ambition of having a credible political voice in New Zealand lies in ruins.

    Peebs.Net welcomes the signs that the media are investigating the truth behind the Exclusive Brethren with renewed vigor. Important questions are being asked:

    - How much did the Exclusive Brethren leader, Australian Bruce D. Hales know about the NZ Smear Campaign? The EB are controlled tightly from the top - no member ever dares to act as an individual.

    - Where did the money come from for the smear campaign? Was it all from New Zealand or are there signs that another country was involved as was the case in their political attempts in USA last year?

    - What are the business linkages within this group? They are currently attempting to merge management of all Exclusive Brethren businesses world-wide with the use of self-banned computers and internet access. Just another example of hypocrisy, or is there a darker political truth?

    - How do vast amounts of cash 'gifts' and 'tithes' make their way to Australia, where Bruce Hales and the Hales Family Trust is located? Are correct reporting mechanisms followed and taxes paid?

    - Is it healthy for such an anti-social group to use their money to attempt to impact the lives of a wider community they in fact despise?

    - Is it healthy for the EB to school their own children, with a syllabus formed from their own anti-social and dangerous teachings? Should we assist the creation of another generation of people that think and act like this?

    - What is the impact of the damage caused to so many individuals who have taken a stand against the Exclusive Brethren? Is it time for a class-action suit against this wealthy group that continue to ignore basic human rights such as parents' ability to see their children?

    - How can such a self-righteous group sit there with a straight face knowing the legacy of broken families they have created across the world?

    - Is it right that society should subsidize Exclusive Brethren Meeting Rooms by allowing tax breaks when they fence, bar and lock their 'church' doors to prevent public entry?

    - How can they call themselves 'fundamentalists' when they do not even practice the fundamentals of Christianity? Christ said "Love your neighbor" ... the Exclusive Brethren shun theirs to the point of not even sharing the same sewer outlet!

    Latest News:

    September 7th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

    Looking a little like a deer caught in headlights, New Zealander Doug Watt sits to the right of Andrew Simmons at the almost unprecedented Exclusive Brethren press conference earlier today.

    The indignant recipients of the EB-funded smear campaign against the Green Party in New Zealand would not agree:

    The NZ-based smear campaign has produced some fast and in most cases, accurate research into the little-known Exclusive Brethren. Many of the facts that have been known to this site and our many readers for many years are underlining the sheer audacity of this group.

    As many are beginning to realize, the Exclusive Brethren live in a far too fragile house to be throwing stones in an arena they are obviously not educationally or socially equipped to handle.

    Ngaire Thomas, author of 'Behind Closed Doors' has been busy:

    The hypocrisy of the Exclusive Brethren is well-known and quite easily documented. For example, the following:

    Finally, they have even upset New Zealands' Royal Forest And Bird Protection Society over the accuracy of their comments in the smear campaign. The society is warning that false claims in an election campaign leaflet by the Exclusive Brethren could undermine public confidence in efforts to save the kiwi and other native birds from extinction ... We are keen to see debate on conservation issues at this election, but we want the debate to be based on facts, not myths and distortions.

    September 7th, 2005 (EB News)

    A collection of Exclusive Brethren conducted a press conference earlier today in South Auckland, New Zealand where they admitted to being behind the leaflet drop in the run up to the NZ 2005 general elections.

    Details of the rare Exclusive Brethren press conference and several related streaming video links are available in the New Zealand press:

    This is not the first time the non-voting Exclusive Brethren have attempted to meddle in politics. Recently, they have supported the campaigns of George W Bush in the United States, John Howard in Australia and mass-mailed anti-homosexual material across Canada. Here is a report on their April NZ campaign.

    September 6th, 2005 (EB News - UPDATE)

    We may have the the pleasure of reporting a very rare event within the next few hours - a press conference by the Exclusive Brethren! The following NZ Herald article explains the situation better than we could:

    It would appear that the Exclusive Brethren have yet again been involved in 'undercover' politics. Their latest foray has been described as 'a pack of lies', 'dirty tricks' and similar. The following press articles would seem to agree:

    To all of which, we at Peebs.Net say - what a wonderful Christian Testimony! Doesn't it just show exactly what fruit these self-described christian people produce: 'lies', 'smears', grubby tricks' ... It is more than disgusting, it simply demonstrates what happens when there is a mix of too much wealth, cult-like power-hungry leaders and a level of arrogance that is breathtaking.

    In fact, the Exclusive Brethren lie to their own, under-educate their children, sue those who tell truth, expel those who disagree, force married couples apart, prevent children from contacting parents, 'forget' to tell relations about deaths and funeral arrangements, and lock their meeting-rooms to the public while claiming they are to be treated like any other church.

    And they dare to describe others as "socially destructive"?

    This site welcomes world media coverage that is at last sensing and reporting the true character of those behind the Exclusive Brethren.

    September 6th, 2005 (EB News)

    The Exclusive Brethren political machine is active again - this time in New Zealand. We have had hundreds of thousands spent in US prior to the Bush election last year, we have had mass-mailings in Canada over homosexual legislation ... and now the Exclusive Brethren are being publicly accused of outright lying and a smear campaign.

    Further information regarding the allegations and the potential investment that the EB have made in this campaign follow: