There are more allegations of the political activities of the Exclusive Brethren sect in TheSydney Morning Herald today. “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,” the paper reports. It also quotes Greens NSW education spokesman, John Kaye. He says the Brethren should return their schools’ public funding because they had used a school as a front for political activity. “It is outrageous that a private school receiving more than $2.4 million each year in public funds can engage in partisan politics. It is an abuse of public trust and a misuse of public resources.”

Are the Greens now going to make similar calls about the Wilderness Society and the Australian Conservation Foundation? They get public money – and have been providing supporting fire for the Greens in their political activities. Or are these organisations above criticism – very exclusive brethren?