Special Legislation For Melanesian Trust Breaches Separation Of
Church And State

The President of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists (NZARH) Elizabeth McKenzie, said today the special legislation being pushed through Parliament to grant special tax exempt status to the Melanesian Mission Trust is a breach of the principle of separation of church and state.

Ms McKenzie said that while NZARH would not oppose charitable work that directly eases poverty in Melanesia, it is inappropriate for the Government of New Zealand to allow tax exemptions for that part of the Trust’s work which is purely missionary or purely commercial.

She said the politicians cited in today’s New Zealand Herald report of the Trust’s activities should understand that Parliament is not a church and elected politicians are not elected to advance the cause of any particular religion’s missionary activities.

“Even the poorest people in New Zealand pay tax, yet this multi-million dollar trust doesn’t want to pay tax like the rest of us. If religious trusts such as these paid tax and property rates like the rest of us, it would reduce the individual tax burden considerably. Tax privileges based on religion should be a thing of the past.”

“If Parliament was passing a Bill advantaging the Scientologists or the Destiny Church in this way there would be uproar. There is no difference when it comes to Parliament funding any religion. We either have a separation of church and state or we don’t.”