Scientology Down Under

This chapter discusses the Church of Scientology as a case study of Australia's approach to new religious movements. It discusses the Australian legal and government opinions on Scientology such as the Anderson report and the Hansard inquiry on religious freedom in Australia. It first analyzes census data to situate the group in Australia, then explores court cases and governmental reports involving the Church, and finishes with an updated analysis of the media and its representation of Scientology. It is argued through this case study that although Australia is a success story of religious settlement and is home to many new religious movements, the official way groups like Scientology are portrayed often lapses into popular stereotypes.