Government inquiries
5 stories
The Victoria "Cults" Inquiry: An Overview
What a religions scholar, a legal scholar, and a Christian legal advocate say about Victoria's inquiry into "cults and organised fringe groups" — its origins, the definitional problem, and the religious-liberty stakes.
4 July 2026
The Victoria, Australia, Inquiry into "Cults": Why Christians Are Concerned
Freedom for Faith’s Mike Southon warns Victoria’s inquiry into “cults and organised fringe groups” cannot define a cult without sweeping in mainstream churches — and urges lawmakers to prosecute illegal acts, not legislate belief.
6 January 2026
The Victoria, Australia, Anti-Cult Inquiry: Interview with Professor Keith Thompson
Legal scholar Keith Thompson warns that Victoria's proposed inquiry into 'cults and organised fringe groups' threatens religious freedom and disregards legal precedent.
29 November 2025
The Victoria, Australia, Inquiry on "Cults." 2. Dangerous for All Religions
Part 2 of Bernard Doherty's analysis: "cult" is used so loosely in Victoria's inquiry that most Australian churches and faith communities could be targeted — a threat to religious liberty far beyond the unpopular few.
15 November 2025
The Victoria, Australia, Inquiry on "Cults." 1. The Australian Context
Part 1 of Bernard Doherty's analysis: Victoria's 2025 parliamentary inquiry into "cults and organised fringe groups" is far from unprecedented — Australian anti-cult inquiries since the 1963 Anderson Inquiry have nearly all failed.
14 November 2025