Canberra, Australia - Australian Greens leader Bob Brown has failed to force a Senate inquiry into a religious group and its role in the last federal and Tasmanian elections.
Senator Brown's target was the Exclusive Brethren, a Christian group whose members shun mainstream society and modern technology.
He described the Brethren's leader Bruce Hales, who lives in Prime Minister John Howard's Sydney seat of Bennelong, as secretive.
"The logic here is that there will be an increasing intervention by the Exclusive Brethren ... they like to be able to support and damage components of the political contest in a democracy without being seen to do so," Senator Brown told parliament.
Senator Brown's motion, which would have examined the role of the religious group and its effect on families and Australian politics, won little support.
Speakers from both sides of politics attacked the motion, with references to Nazi Germany and witch hunts.
Government minister Eric Abetz described the motion as shameful.
He referred the Green's website which called for a public register of the Brethren's workplaces, describing it as similar to how the Jews were forced to wear the Star of David in Hitler's Germany.
"It attacks the most basic of human rights. The freedom of association and the freedom of religion because it has been motivated by the basest of considerations," senator Abetz said.
Labor's Senate leader Chris Evans warned that if the motion was passed then any group which had differing views from the government of the day could be subject to an investigation.
"Next they'll want an inquiry into the activities of a gay and lesbian group, or a trade union ... different people of different persuasions will have different targets," he said.
"The question you've got to ask yourself is this a proper function of the Senate.
"We are not a quasi-investigative body, we are not responsible for answering allegations into the activities of a protective body. And if we go down that it will be a very slippery slope."
Senator Evans said there are other avenues which could be used if there were concerns over the group's treatment of its members.
Liberal John Watson acknowledged a large group of Brethren members who were watching the debate from the public gallery.
"The last thing we need is a witch hunt through the auspices of the Senate," Senator Watson said.
Queensland's Barnaby Joyce accused Senator Brown of using the Senate to attack a minority religious group.
"They (the Greens) have to sneak and creep in here to impugn characters," he said.
The motion was easily defeated by 59 votes to four, which was made up entirely of Greens' senators.