Mercy Survivors » accc http://www.mercysurvivors.com Survivors of Mercy Ministries Abuses World Wide Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:30:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Charity admits cheating women http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/charity-admits-cheating-women/ http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/charity-admits-cheating-women/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:17:34 +0000 admin http://www.mercysurvivors.com/?p=126 Anne-Louise Brown of the Sunshine Coast Daily has written an article about Mercy Ministries.

“CHRISTIAN charity Mercy Ministries, which ran a home for young women in need on the Sunshine Coast, has admitted to false, misleading and deceptive conduct.”

The full article can be read here http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2009/12/19/charity-admits-cheating-women/

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]]> http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/charity-admits-cheating-women/feed/ 1 Ministry leaders admit deceits, agree to payments, apology to clients http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/ministry-leaders-admit-deceits-agree-to-payments-apology-to-clients/ http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/ministry-leaders-admit-deceits-agree-to-payments-apology-to-clients/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:05:11 +0000 admin http://www.mercysurvivors.com/?p=123 Bob Smietana of The Tennessean has written an article about Mercy Ministries.

“Mercy Ministries Australia ran two homes for young women with eating disorders and other problems. The program was supposed to be free. But residents were forced to sign over their government assistance checks. Mercy also promised psychological care but failed to deliver.”

You can read the whole article here http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091218/NEWS06/912180339/1023/NEWS01

]]> http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/ministry-leaders-admit-deceits-agree-to-payments-apology-to-clients/feed/ 0 Mercy Ministries “guilty of false, misleading and deceptive conduct” http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-guilty-of-false-misleading-and-deceptive-conduct/ http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-guilty-of-false-misleading-and-deceptive-conduct/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:56:29 +0000 admin http://www.mercysurvivors.com/?p=120 Charity sorry over misleading services

By Jo Skinner

Posted Fri Dec 18, 2009

A Christian-based charity on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has admitted it is guilty of false, misleading and deceptive conduct.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says Mercy Ministries has apologised for misrepresenting its services and repaid almost $120,000 to affected women.

The charity ran two homes for young women in need at Glenview on the Sunshine Coast and in Sydney, both have since closed.

ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel says Mercy Ministries advertised its services were free but then asked residents to sign over their Centrelink payments in return.

“We found that misrepresentations were occurring,” he said.

“Firstly as to whether or not the services provided by Mercy Ministries was free when clearly it was not,” he said.

“There was an assignment of Centrelink payments to Mercy Ministries for the duration of the stay of those that used their services.

“Also Mercy Ministries misrepresented that it offered professional support from qualified specialists when in fact that was not the case.”

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/18/2775465.htm?section=australia

]]> http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-guilty-of-false-misleading-and-deceptive-conduct/feed/ 5 Mercy Ministries – “misleading conduct” http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-misleading-conduct/ http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-misleading-conduct/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 09:29:52 +0000 admin http://www.mercysurvivors.com/?p=111 Jared Reed has written an article about the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s findings in regards to Mercy Ministries.

“Former directors of an evangelical Christian charity have admitted to falsely claiming their residential counselling program offered professional support from GPs and other health professionals.”

You can read the rest of the article here http://www.6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=508701

]]> http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/19/mercy-ministries-misleading-conduct/feed/ 0 Mercy Ministries admits claims were false http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/16/mercy-ministries-admits-claims-were-false/ http://www.mercysurvivors.com/2009/12/16/mercy-ministries-admits-claims-were-false/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:35:58 +0000 admin http://www.mercysurvivors.com/?p=98 Mercy Ministries admits claims were false

RUTH POLLARD INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR

December 17, 2009

FORMER directors of Mercy Ministries yesterday admitted the evangelical Christian organisation had engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct by wrongly claiming their residential care programs were free and included support from psychologists, dietitians, general practitioners and counsellors.

The admission is part of an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ruling, after an 18-month investigation into complaints from former residents who were forced to undergo exorcisms and use prayer to treat serious health problems such as bipolar disorder and anorexia.

Targeting girls and women aged 16 to 28, Mercy Ministries also claimed – on its website and in advertising material distributed in Gloria Jeans cafes around the country – that its program was free, yet a Herald investigation revealed residents had to sign over their Centrelink benefits during their stay.

The ACCC ordered the former directors to pay $1050 to each of the 110 young women who took part in their programs from January 2005 to June last year, the total being $118,154. They have also agreed to attend annual trade practices compliance training for three years.

”Given the vital role charitable organisations have in our society, and the trust placed in them, it is imperative that their conduct is of the highest standard, especially in their dealings with vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our community,” the ACCC chairman, Graeme Samuel, said yesterday. ”Misleading conduct of this kind is a matter of serious concern.”

Hillsong Church said in October it had cut ties with the group. At the same time, Mercy Ministries announced it was closing its Sydney home, citing ”extreme financial challenges and a steady drop in our support base”.

The article can be found here http://www.smh.com.au/national/mercy-ministries-admits-claims-were-false-20091216-kxl4.html

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