Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to also share my deep concerns about the decision of the ACT government regarding Calvary Hospital, which is callous and reckless to the extreme. It is astonishing to me, when reading the legislation, that the ACT government has the power to bring in the police if the transition is not made in an orderly way as it requires under the legislation. This is appalling for this wonderful institution, which has served the people of Canberra and the ACT so well for such a long period of time. And Senator Pocock, I too want to express my disappointment that you did not support an inquiry. Senator Canavan put forward a very important motion in the Senate today to support an inquiry into this shocking attack on Calvary Hospital, and it is incredibly disappointing that you weren't able to stand up for the people you represent and allow a light to be shone on what is happening here, allow the appropriate transparency. No matter whether you agree or disagree with this decision, surely it would have been appropriate to give your constituents the opportunity to understand with a sufficient degree of detail and to scrutinise this terrible, terrible decision.

And I have to say, as shadow minister for education, that I am deeply concerned that this may lead to further attacks on schools of faith. We know that the Albanese government, after announcing an inquiry into religious educational institutions and antidiscrimination laws, has, in concert with the ALRC, put out a consultation paper, which has attracted scathing criticism from legal experts and religious schools, who have expressed serious concerns about the proposed restrictions on freedom of religion. Look what's happened in Victoria. The Andrews government has attacked independent schools by providing, in its latest budget, that they will no longer be exempt from paying payroll tax—which of course also constitutes a terrible attack on schools of faith.

So, I say: shame on the ACT government; shame on those senators who are not standing up to the ACT government. This is a shocking abuse of a public hospital in the ACT, the best-performing hospital in the ACT, which had some 76 years left to run on its lease. How arrogant of Mr Barr, who said, 'You've got 76 years to go, but we'll let you stay for 25 years.' And of course now the death knell has sounded on this hospital.

We proposed today to attach scrutiny to this decision, to hold the government to account, and it is incredibly disappointing that this proposal for an inquiry did not succeed. There is no doubt that this is an attack on religious institutions. I very much doubt that the ACT government would have taken these steps if Calvary was not a hospital underpinned by strong religious convictions and faith. This sets a very dangerous precedent, and it is no wonder schools are worried. It is no wonder other faith based hospitals are worried. It is no wonder other faith based institutions, no matter the religion, are worried. This sets a very dangerous precedent, and I condemn this decision in the strongest possible terms.