Brethren business

How is it that the 400-year-old legal concept of charitable purpose (now embedded in section 5/1 of the Charities Act 2005) can give rise, power and unrestrained growth to organisations whose sole purpose is the advancement of religion?

The front-page article (‘‘Hansen, Apiata preach to Exclusive Brethren’’, News, October 16) trumpeting a salubrious event for Exclusive Brethren that featured speakers whose personal careers followed paths outlawed by the Brethren faith is almost the proof of a self-fulfilling prophecy where superiority and wealth are enshrined in the law that enables them to run highly profitable businesses that are not liable for normal taxation. This enables profits to be constantly reinvested tax-free, ensuring rapid growth that normal businesses cannot hope to compete with.

The only requirement for these organisations is to have ‘‘charitable purpose’’ which can include providing education or care for their own constituents, thereby ensuring ever more support for their organisation.

The types of businesses include furniture and carpet retailers, chemical supply companies, hospitality, some even own bars.

Labelling the Exclusive Brethren ‘‘clever businessmen’’ is similar to the comments that a current wellknown figure is also ‘‘clever’’ for avoiding millions of dollars in tax.

Why anyone should bother to run a legitimate business astounds me.

Ingrid Memelink, Dunedin

I am not part of the Exclusive Brethren movement, but when I read your lead story I thought we had reached a new low in New Zealand media.

Who cares who they have at their conferences? It’s a free country, last time I checked. Why try to link a movement with great leading New Zealanders?

Who cares if they donated money to political movements in years gone by? It’s their money – they didn’t use taxpayer dollars.

I am glad we live in a nation where we are free to donate to causes close to our heart.

Sue Reid, Masterton