Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the concern of many Canberrans about the significant legislation that the Australian Capital Territory Labor-Greens Government has passed to compulsorily acquire the Calvary Public Hospital;

(b) notes the ACT Government has attempted to avoid any scrutiny of the acquisition legislation, by developing the bill in secret, deliberately avoiding any consultation or exposure draft process, and expressly refusing to hold an inquiry into the legislation;

(c) notes the timeframe from the tabling of the ACT legislation to the acquisition of a major public hospital is extraordinarily short and unnecessary;

(d) notes public statements by the ACT branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation expressing concern over the lack of any consultation, which may not be consistent with the obligations in the ACT Government's own enterprise agreement;

(e) has grave concerns with this attack on religious institutions and on the ability of private and religious health care providers to care for the sick;

(f) calls on the Albanese Government to introduce legislation to stop the forced acquisition of the Calvary Public Hospital; and

(g) requests the President of the Senate to formally provide this notice to the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory.

The sad thing today is we didn't need to have this debate. Why do I say that? Because if we had a prime minister of Australia who had any form of backbone, he would have already passed legislation to stop what is one of the most egregious takeovers of a religious body that is providing health care to thousands of people within the ACT. But guess what? Because the Prime Minister of Australia (a) doesn't have a spine and (b) is himself not opposed to this takeover, he has sat by and done absolutely nothing. What is the clear message that he is sending to the residents of the ACT that are crying out for this Commonwealth government to show some leadership and step in? I'll tell you what; he is sending a very clear message to all religious and private healthcare providers around Australia: 'I will not stand up for you. I will not stand up for your beliefs. I will not stand up for the service that you provide to so many people who come to you for care, because I don't care.'

Let us be very careful; it is the Prime Minister of Australia's inaction that has meant, today, we stand in this place and have to express our disappointment at the ACT government for what they are doing. This is nothing more and nothing less than an ideological approach to a hospital that provides care to thousands and provides religious based care. It is nothing more and nothing less than an ideological approach. I say to the ACT government: shame on you. Shame on you for undertaking what is nothing more and nothing less then a legislated grab; that is exactly what they have done. They haven't been able to come to an agreement with the good Calvary Hospital, and because they could not come to an agreement—let me tell you what they've done. They basically say in their own legislation that they've had to do this because an agreed position between the ACT government and Calvary was not reached. This sends a very, very clear message to all Australians that, if you don't give the ACT Labor government what they want, they will actually come in and forcefully take it, with no negotiation, no transparency and no committee inquiry into what they are doing. They will just rush legislation through their parliament. And they are going to take away the right of the Calvary hospital to provide their much-needed service to so many thousands of Canberrans.

But it's not just about this, and this is the problem. It is not just about this particular takeover. This should actually send a shiver down the spine of anyone in Australia who believes in freedom of religion. Make no mistake: the Prime Minister of Australia not showing some spine—unlike Peter Dutton, who has spoken out and backed the Calvary hospital—is making it very clear to people all around Australia that he will not stand up for you. He does not believe in freedom of religion. Under his watch, this is what his government is allowing. It is preventing a religious organisation from caring for the sick, the frail and the aged. This is an absolute disgrace.

Not only that but where are the ACT federal members and senators? I know where they were today when we asked for an inquiry into this. They voted no. Guess what? Senator Pocock, an ACT senator, actually abstained from the vote. He could not actually show his true colours as to where he stands on this important issue. Well, guess what? In this place, you get to take a side. You are either for or against. This is an absolute disgrace. The Prime Minister has shown absolutely no spine and, quite frankly, should hang his head in shame. If he is not prepared to stand up for the rights of religious bodies in this country then, quite frankly, shame on him.