Tax-free financial rorting is rife in Australia's churches: their TAX-FREE status must be revoked. Just last month, leaked documents showed evidence of fraud, money laundering and tax evasion by Hillsong church, to fund lavish trips and lifestyles.

Combined churches make a truckload of cash every year - more than $30 billion. The Catholic Church owns half of that. These mega churches are handled more like investment banks, employing financial experts whose job is to make the churches even more money. And everything they make is tax free.

It was revealed in the Guardian that $150,000 of church money was spent on a luxury retreat in Cancun, Mexico, as well as on luxury watches, luggage sets, designer clothes, skateboards, and cash gifts to board members for birthdays or anniversaries. 

Since the pursuit of religion was always considered charitable, the Charities Act keeps churches tax exempt - a legislation that we have inherited from the British. 

The Child Abuse Royal Commission has uncovered large-scale child sexual abuse by clergy and deliberate attempts by church leaders to cover up these atrocities and stop the police from investigating. Too much criminal activity and entrenched organisational incompetence has been discovered for Australians to continue trusting our churches.

The trauma and pain that many churches and their teachings put young queer people through has amounted to serious and sustained abuse.

Why do these massive institutions continue to get tax privileges when they abuse our trust so shamefully? Tax privileges should be earned, and not be an automatic right.

Are you comfortable with the church receiving a tax exemption on their billions of dollars of revenue? Please sign and share the petition if you agree it’s time to limit the religious influence of churches in Australian politics and society.