The budget has soaked up a huge amount of ink on paper and bytes in cyber space but while this has been the primary focus, with the associated political wrangling, the issue of political donations in Australia has been pretty low on the ‘news worthy’ list for editors and news directors. However, I was moved to post this after being given a pamphlet from a Gloria Jeans outlet in Caroline Springs.
The pamphlet in question encourages patrons to donate to Mercy Ministries with the encouragement of Gloria Jeans, so that these people can “take care” of young women suffering from eating disorders, self-harm, abuse and unplanned pregnancies.
What the pamphlet doesn’t say, and neither does Gloria Jeans, is that the supremo boss of Gloria Jeans has been wrapped up in the political donations problem in Australia. He has been long associated with the pentecostal movement in Australia and a major supported of the massive mega-churches that have sprung up over the past 10 to 15 years.
More recently this association has been upped a notch.
He has begun to involve himself in politics, which isn’t a bad thing or wrong but instead of openly donating money as an individual, he and some other cronies in the pentecostal movement set up a shelf company funnel significant sums of money to Family First. None of this was done openly. It actually seems like there was a deliberate effort to conceal their involvement in elections and bankrolling Family First, and the likes of Steve Fielding.
In addition, during the time of the Coalition government, people like Steve Fielding’s brother, founder of the Planet Shakers, have been getting quite rich from government contacts for childcare services as a registered childcare provider. Amazing interconnected the Coalition and Family First are and how much they rely on pentecostal churches and congregations to not only bankroll their campaigns but to also volunteer for electioneering jobs - to be a good Christian you have to help this other good Christian.
This kind of secretive approach to donations to political parties is a major part of the problems with the system of donations.
So if you enjoy a good cup of coffee without a percentage of the profits going to Family First then go anywhere other than a Gloria Jeans.
