Glenvale School donates proceeds

PART 1

I hesitate to introduce a sour note in commenting on this news item, but some things must be said. CFA members may be appalled that I am questioning the motives of “the dedicated Glenvale School and its community” in donating funds raised from their “Firestorm” book to CFA Brigades affected by the Black Saturday disaster.

On the face of it, this looks to be a genuine and laudable community initiative – one of many from charitable organisations, businesses and individuals. Even better, school students are directly involved in the presentation to the Brigades, apparently instilling in them the importance of community service.

The book itself is a high quality glossy publication – even though I winced somewhat at the rather “in-your-face” and sensational treatment of an event that shattered so many lives. Still, a full-page endorsement from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd near the front of the book clearly indicates his approval. A message from Premier John Brumby also appears in the book, although it is unclear whether this was intended for the book or copied from elsewhere.

I am also aware that CFA management has some reservations about the forceful marketing approach used in this project, and in particular how the publishers managed to obtain names and addresses of brigade secretaries for this purpose.

People need to know who is behind this project. Many will have no idea that the Glenvale School, with its dozen or so campuses across Victoria, is run by the Exclusive Brethren, a secretive and controversial religious sect that has attracted much adverse media publicity in recent years. Indeed, Mr Rudd, when Opposition Leader, stated on national TV that he believed the Exclusive Brethren were “an extremist sect and cult that breaks up families”. Sadly, he is right.

Those of us who know from personal experience the history, structure and terrible legacy of this organisation are bewildered at its “Firestorm” project. Such involvement in community affairs is unprecedented for a sect whose guiding principle has always been extreme separation from what they see as an evil world. This separation means refusing to eat or socialise with anyone other than their own; forbidding access to TV, radio and all worldly entertainment; banning membership of trade unions or associations – including the CFA; and not allowing their children to undertake University study.

The media spotlight on the Brethren in recent times has focused on their dishonest political activities, the extraordinary and disproportionately generous Government funding they have obtained for their schools – open only to Brethren students, and the horrendous and often irrevocable break-up of families they have caused when a member decides to leave or is ex-communicated for an often trivial reason. There have been hundreds of cases around the world over the past 50 years where the actions of this extreme and highly authoritarian sect have caused untold agony, devastation, financial ruin and sometimes suicide.

PART 2

Spare a thought for the Glenvale kids seen in the photo. None of them will ever be allowed to go to the beach, see an AFL match, join a sporting team, club or trade union, work for the Government, go to the theatre, cinema, or restaurant. On leaving school, the boys will work for a Brethren business and the girls will marry young and have large families. On most weekdays and several times on Sundays they will attend a stark, windowless Exclusive Brethren meeting hall, surrounded by high fences and security, barred to all but non-members. Their lives from the cradle to the grave will be controlled in every detail by the Brethren hierarchy – even when to turn up and smile for the camera in front of a CFA tanker.

So why is an organisation with an inbuilt hatred of the world suddenly and inexplicably embarking on a charitable project like this? There is always a reason, a strategy and an agenda. Nothing is spontaneous with the Exclusive Brethren. There is no way this project is an independent initiative of Glenvale School students, parents or staff. It will not only be approved but driven by the highest level of the Brethren leadership.

But why? Perhaps it stems from advice given by a top Australian public relations company, which currently has the Brethren on its books as a major client. Let’s face it, their public image has been severely tarnished of late and perhaps they think some professional “spin” is necessary.

But again, why? Traditionally they could not have cared less what the world thought of them. But times have changed. They rely heavily on Government funding for their schools and they badly need approval from sympathetic local councils to build an ever-increasing number of meeting halls in all sorts of places.

At present, Brethren families in Melbourne are moving in significant numbers to the north-eastern suburbs. The Shire of Nillumbik recently turned down their application to build a 2,000-seat meeting hall. They are currently awaiting a ruling from VCAT on their appeal against the Shire’s decision.

Is there a link here? Is the “Firestorm” project a cynical exercise to convince the public that the Exclusive Brethren are in reality a quiet, law-abiding, public-spirited church intent on demonstrating their care and concern for their fellow citizens? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Time will tell. This may sound harsh, and of course they will deny it, but the question must be asked.

Meanwhile, to quote Virgil, beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Peter Flinn
Dunkeld

As a marketing person with over 30 years experience, I was somewhat suspicious when the printed material arrived to promote the book. There are no telephone numbers shown and none of the business names appear in the white pages. There are no ABN numbers on any of the material, which is required by law. The program required brigades to forward a cheque, or credit card details, made out to Provision Marketing, to a PO Box in Lilydale prior to receiving the books. A lot of the photo's used in the promotional material appear to have been lifted off the CFA website. I put this to a meeting of our brigade following concerns expressed by the CFA. If the program is legitimate, well done, but I am still a little concerned about the manner in which the publisher obtained the name and address of our brigade secretary. The publisher also rang our secretary pushing the sale of the publication.
At the start of the fire season we had a significant amount of updating and maintenance to be done on brigade equipment which took most of our financial resources, leaving insufficient to spend on books which we would then have to on-sell to gain the 'donation'. As I stated, if the program has now changed focus and funds are now the be given to brigades outside the Black Saturday impacted areas, well done and congratulations on the initiative.