The Senate Inquiry inspired by our four year investigation today released its report. They are calling for two new bodies to be set up to investigate harmful cults and to make them pay tax or shut them down.

"My message to the church of Scientology and any other organisation that does harm to its members, this will mean a change in government policy," said Senator Nick Xenophon, who first called for the Inquiry in November 2009 in a speech in which said, "Scientology is not a religious organisation. It is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs."

With that declaration almost one year ago, Senator Nick Xenophon set in chain a remarkable series of events that led to today's historic first step towards making groups like Scientology prove they do more good than harm.

"This will mean a change in legislation so that people can be protected," Xenophon said.

Senator Xenophon won an inquiry into all groups who claim they are charities or religions and thus avoid paying tax. The Inquiry looked at the introduction of a Public Benefits Test for non-profit groups that would require them to prove they serve the community more than themselves and perform good works… or lose their tax exempt status.

That inquiry was held by the senate economics committee in June. The victims of Scientology were right in the middle of it, including former long-term Scientologists Carmel Underwood, Kevin Mackey and Paul Schofield.

"I believe that the church of Scientology is a prime example of why this tax amendment is required," Ms Underwood said. "It's an organisation which threatens its people with pay up or else and this is extortion."

"In my personal experience I was in Scientology for 26 years (and) I haven't found anything charitable about the church of Scientology," said Kevin Mackey.

We aired our first story on Scientology in March 2007. Afterwards, we were contacted by former members of the cult claiming terrible abuse was rife inside Scientology. What we uncovered stunned Australia and the world, including:

• The man who gave Scientology counselling to Nicole Kidman to the secret Scientology tape of Tom Cruise.

• Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard for heard, for the first time, giving a lecture about the Xenu the alien.

• Revelations of child labour in Melbourne

• The standover tactics employed to deal with critics.

• The celebrities who are used by the cult to spruik their worth.

• The stunning revelation that Scientology in Britain claims it is a South Australian charity to avoid paying tax there.

• We gained access to their secret strongholds in Los Angeles and world headquarters in Florida.

• A world exclusive with the former right hand man of Scientology's global leader.

The story that changed everything aired in Australia on November 18, 2009 and was the most watched program in the country. It reported the terrible, shocking stories of ordinary people who risked everything to tell the truth about a violent, abusive and deceptive cult ruining lives here and around the world.

Paul Schofield alleged that after his two daughter died in terrible accidents connected with Scientology, Church officials coerced him into lying to the police and the Coroner to protect Scientology.

"I'm a very ecstatic person right now because we've got a lot of what we've been fighting for," Schofield said, adding, for the first time, he feels there may yet be justice for his two daughters who would today have been in their early teens.

"Absolutely Bryan and it's not just my daughters, there's a lot of other kids who've suffered in Scientology and other cults like it," Schofield said.

The senate inquiry today recommended a big reform; one that Scientology, shonky cults and deceptive non-profit groups were dreading.

"Both sides of politics support not only a public benefit test for organisations such as Scientology but the also the support the establishment of a charities commission as exits in New Zealand and Britain," Senator Xenophon said.

The not-for-profit sector is worth between four and eight billion dollars. These laws could save Australian taxpayers millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars and put out of business those who would prey on the weak for their own gain.

The report also recommends looking at a French style cult taskforce to target groups who believe they're above the law.

"To people like Paul Schofield and many others I am convinced that this result would not have been possible without the bravery of those people who spoke out on your program to make it very clear what they'd been through," Senator Xenophon said.