Mick Millsom, a writer to the 50/50 column in the Herald Sun 4/5/10) asked whether any politicians have the courage to propose that religious organizations should begin to pay tax, since they are presently exempted from paying tax?
I do accept that this is a question that needs to be debated.
Does Millsom realize that though religious organizations such as churches, could be considered asset rich due to the property that they own, the fact is that most are struggling financially.
Parishioners, whose funds support churches, are facing the same economic challenges as the rest of the community is.
Furthermore, most politicians would appreciate that various religious organizations, through their social welfare activities, are caring for the most vulnerable people in our society, in ways that governments could not afford to pay for.
Though some in the religious welfare sector do get paid for the work that they do, many others work voluntarily.
Keep things as they are, although there is an argument for looking into the financial affairs of quasi-religious organisations that are large enterprises turning over billions of dollars. They don't need to be named, but Senator Nick Xenophon (IND, SA), has raised this issue in Parliament recently.
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