A Bill to repeal the ban on scientology imposed by the previous Government in 1968 passed rapidly through all stages in the Legislative Council last night.
The Bill had already been approved by the Legislative Assembly.
There were only three speakers in the Council's second reading debate - the former Minister for Health, Mr MacKinnon (Lib.-Lower West), Mr Withers (Lib.-North) and the Minister for Police, Mr Dolan, who introduced the Bill.
There was no discussion on the two-clause Bill in committee.
Mr MacKinnon, who was instrumental in the move to ban scientology, said that though there was no tremendous enthusiasm for the Scientology Act Repeal Bill there was no option but to pass it.
The Federal Attorney General had declared the Church of the New Faith (Scientology) a church capable of performing the sacred acts of marriage, baptism and burial.
Mr MacKinnon said he made no apology for instigating the banning of scientology.
"I believe that there are occasions when one must risk accusations of harshness by saying after considerable approaches from a wide range of people 'No, you are not wanted'," he said.
It was not true that his Bill had been unworkable, he said.
Though he had no great love for the organisation he had spoken to scientologists and in discussion they appeared reasonable and to all intents and purposes genuine.
Mr Withers said that before 1968 there had been evidence that scientology caused disturbances to families and people.
However, scientology had undergone a reform and had discontinued the practices that brought about the ban.