Scientology a ‘perfect fit’: Labor MP Julie Owens

Labor’s Julie Owens lauds controversial church as “valuable’’ for Australia.

Labor MP Julie Owens speaks at the Church of Scientology event in Castlereagh Street, Sydney, in 2014. Picture: Freedom magazine

Federal Labor MP Julie Owens delivered a speech praising the Church of Scientology as “valuable” and a “perfect fit” for Aust­ralia, during the opening of its $60 million Sydney church.

Despite the event taking place 20km outside her electorate, Ms Owens was pictured smiling alongside David Miscavige, the global head of Scientology and friend of actor Tom Cruise, at the Castlereagh Street ribbon cutting in Sydney city on May 3, 2014.

The Parramatta MP told The Australian she attended because it was “organised by a constituent” who had concerns about changes to the Charities Act.

“Ms Owens regularly attends events outside her electorate as community groups extend the boundaries of Parramatta,” a Labor spokeswoman said.

“She has attended events in Lakemba, Liverpool, Fairfield and Strathfield to speak to religious organisations and groups.”

According to a Labor source, Scientology representatives supplied Ms Owens with a speech and her office made only minor changes. Ms Owens’s spokeswoman denied this but didn’t rule out the organisation providing her with talking points. There is no public record of the speech and Ms Owens refused to provide The Australian with a copy.

A Scientology press release claimed that Ms Owens told the crowd of more than 2000 supporters: “We have an Australia rich in diverse faiths and cultures. And you are a bold new part of our 21st-century landscape.

“Indeed, seeing your new home shine brightly in the centre of this city, it is a perfect fit for our contemporary Australia.”

Another article from Scientology magazine Freedom credits Ms Owens as saying: “You get on with it and that’s why your church and its members are particularly valuable and relied upon.

“You go about creating a better­ community, and that is truly Australian of you.

“The most powerful thing one can do is to cause others to believe they can make a change in their lives, that they can bring out one another’s better selves. That is what you do for us in Australia.”

Scientology was founded by US science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950s. It was banned in three Australian states from the 60s until the early 70s before the High Court declared it a tax-exempt religion in 1983.

Bill Shorten’s office did not deny claims made by a source that they knew Ms Owens planned to speak at the Scientology launch and had offered to organise a conflicting event interstate based on her role as the shadow parliamentary secretary for small business.

The Labor source said that, after meeting with Ms Owens on at least two occasions, the church loaned her an iPhone. The smartphone was not logged on the Register­ of Members’ Interests and it’s not known if it was plugged into a government computer­. Ms Owens did not recall­ receivin­g the iPhone, but it was confirmed by the church.

The source said Ms Owens gave the speech to help her re-election chances. It’s understood she thought there was a large number of Scientologists in Parramatt­a that could swing the seat, which in 2014 she held on a margin of 1.3 per cent.