Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has branded the Exclusive Brethren Christian sect a cult and criticised Prime Minister John Howard for meeting with the group's world leader.
Earlier this month,Mr Howard met with Bruce Hales,the"Elect Vessel"of the Exclusive Brethren,and with other leading members of the reclusive sect.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) are investigating the expenditure before the 2004 election of $370,000 on pro-Liberal and anti-Greens advertising by Willmac Enterprises,a company with links to the Exclusive Brethren.
The Brethren has been accused of running a smear campaign against New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and hiring a private detective to investigate leading members of the New Zealand Labour Party.
Sect members are prohibited from voting,attending university,having TVs,radios,personal computers or mobile phones or contact with family members who leave the church.
Mr Rudd said he had real concerns about the impact of the Exclusive Brethren on Australian communities and,unlike Mr Howard,he refused to meet with its members.
"I believe this is an extremist cult and sect,"he told reporters.
"I also believe that it breaks up families,I also believe that there are real problems with the provision of modern education to kids under their system where they,for example,are not given full range of access to information technology."
Mr Howard said he had done nothing wrong by meeting with representatives of the Exclusive Brethren.
"They're Australian citizens,its a lawful organisation and as prime minister I have met an enormous number of organisations,"he told reporters.