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HILLSONG PETITION 'DECEPTIVE'

HILLSONG Church has been accused of underhanded tactics in an attempt to sway the body considering a Hillsong DA for a super church at Rosebery reports Robert Burton-Bradley Central 16th April 2008.

Rosebery Resident Action Group has alleged a petition containing more than 4000 signatures in favour of the DA for a 2700-seat auditorium and seven-storey office block with parking for more than 600 cars, is heavily flawed and contains fraudulent entries.

The petition was presented to the Central Sydney Planning Committee by Hillsong Pastor Joel Bell in late February and states that signatories are all separate individuals who support Hillsong's DA.

However, Mr Bell's name, signature, and Pagewood address appears four separate times in the petition, while a former high ranking Hillsong employee, Leigh Coleman, and his wife Vera Coleman have both signed the petition twice and listed two different Zetland addresses.

In many cases addresses have multiple signatures, such as a flat in Waterloo that allegedly had 12 inhabitants who signed the petition.

Another flat on the same street had eight occupants who signed.

The action group spokesman Graeme Grace said Hillsong had consistently engaged in a "pattern of deceptive behaviour" since it had lodged its DA last year.

"I would expect all petitions to contain anomalies, however four signatures from the person presenting it, who claims in his cover letter that it is over 4000 individual signatures, that is deceptive," Mr Grace said.

"They are trying to say they have thousands of signatures, and that just goes along with the other things they have done, like the many names from the one address."

Mr. Grace also said residents were disappointed to learn that a number of local organisations, including South Sydney Rugby League Club and the

South Sydney PCYC, had written form letters to the Central Sydney Planning Committee supporting Hill-song's DA.

All the letters contained a line that was identical, stating "although I cannot speak to the intricacies of this proposed development, I wish to give my endorsement to Hillsong and its extensive work in the community".

Rabbitohs co-owner Peter Holmes a Court contradicted the letter, which was sent by the club's corporate relationship manager Chris Keeble.

"We don't endorse specific development proposals at the club; the club has no official endorsement of any proposals in the area," Mr Homes a Court said.

It was revealed in Central earlier this year that Mr Coleman misrepresented himself while speaking in favour of the Hillsong DA at a public meeting when he failed to disclose his former employment with ' Hill-song Church.

Also, in letters supporting the Hill-song DA to Central and the Southern Courier, Mr. Coleman used a different first name and did not acknowledge his Hillsong connection.

Hillsong had not responded to the accusations at the time of going to press.

Source: Central 16th April 2008.