Church owned companies include some of the most well known brands in Australia including cereal manufacturers, insurance companies and publishers and yet they don’t pay income tax. A conservative estimate is that income tax exemptions alone to churches and religious organisations cost taxpayers nearly $ 20 billion a year. Add to that GST concessions, exemptions from capital gains tax (on property and share trading) and the Fringe Benefits Tax Exemption and the cost to tax payers is staggering.

Tax exemption

1. Ending the tax exempt status on all but the charitable work of religious institutions (remove ‘promotion of religion’ from exemptions).

Stem Cell Research

1. Supports stem cell research, including embryonic stem cell research, and maintains it is a vital medical issue, not a religious issue.

Burqas

1. Opposes a blanket ban on women wearing the burqa conditional upon it being the woman’s choice.