Antisemitism Report 2009 - World Jewish Congress

Australia. Although John Bennett, who is the Union's motivating force, sits on the editorial
advisory committee of the Journal of Historical Review published by the Institute for
Historical Review in California, there is little real activity from this group, which maintains a
content-thin website and produces annual editions of Your Rights.
6.7 The LaRouche Cult
The Citizens' Electoral Councils (CECs), based in a well-staffed office in suburban
Melbourne, engage in mass mailings of literature reflecting the views of their guru, Lyndon
LaRouche, containing bizarre and offensive antisemitic conspiracy theories. The Executive
Council of Australian Jewry, Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith, the Anti-
Defamation Commission of B'nai B'rith Australia, Australia/Israel Publications and antiracist
groups in general have been amongst the CEC's favourite targets. The LaRouche
organisation spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on electoral campaigns, with tens of
thousands raised in Australia from donations of more than $1500 each.
The CECs established a new political party, the Curtin Labor Alliance, in an attempt to
attract votes from the Labor Party's constituency. The move was condemned by leading
Labor Party figures, who were able to take advantage of the announcement of moves to
register the party to highlight the true nature of the LaRouche cult.
The Australian Electoral Commission's report on party finances for 1999-2000 revealed that
the LaRouchite CECs, who received 0.089% of the vote in the 1998 Federal election, raised
nearly $1.5m in donations (compared to less than $1m raised by the Australian Democrats
who have 8 senators) and that it owed almost $1m to the LaRouche organisation in the USA
On the web-site maintained by Lyndon LaRouche‘s supporters, a list of Australians who had
given ―endorsements‖ to the campaign of ―Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr, Democrat for President‖
appeared. The list included Dr M.A. Morsey, Vice President and General Secretary, the
Australian Arab Association, and eight trade union officials, mainly based in Western
Australia.
The LaRouche cult has been plagued by internal disputes, during which information came to
light regarding the obsession of their officials with an international conspiracy which, in
Australia, gave certain tasks to Jewish community figures. More disturbing than its paranoia
are continuing revelations that the organisation had worked with elected officials to further
anti-Jewish propaganda campaigns.
Although the CECs have participated in a number of elections, their total vote has generally
been so small as to be an embarrassment, even when compared to that of other far rightwing
fringe groups. When Pauline Hanson was in her political prime, some CEC followers
took advantage of the audiences provided by One Nation to spread their bizarre conspiracy
theories, receiving a passive reception. This did not sit well with the CEC's Melbourne
leadership, who believed One Nation were anti-Republican and therefore most likely part of
the "international conspiracy" headed by the Queen of England and Henry Kissinger. The
visible success of One Nation also impacted on the CEC's ability to raise funds. With
Pauline Hanson seemingly fulfilling a Messianic vision for socially alienated Australia,
there were reports that the CECs were unable to successfully fund raise for their vision of
Lyndon LaRouche as this millennium's "saviour".
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