Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to table an explanatory memorandum relating to the bill.

Leave granted.

I table an explanatory memorandum and I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

As you all know, on 11 May 2023 the Canberra community was blindsided when the ACT Greens-Labor coalition government announced they would be forcibly acquiring Calvary Public Hospital, its land and its assets, ripping up their remaining 76-year contract and essentially forcing all of the Calvary staff to work for ACT Health.

This decision was made with no consultation, and no inquiry by the Legislative Assembly prior to the announcement.

This has resulted in significant public outcry well beyond the borders of the ACT.

I'm sure each of your offices, like mine, has received thousands of emails on this topic, legitimately raising questions about the real reason behind such a move and concerns about the precedent this action creates, potentially for other faith-based services including schools.

The purpose of this Bill is to insert a requirement that the ACT Government conduct an inquiry into the ACT legislation that enables the acquisition. This does not impact on the ACT Government's rights to make decisions, it is intended to ensure that there is public consultation with the decision that has been made, so that people can have their voices heard.

This action has occurred despite the relevant Minister admitting that Calvary has been delivering good healthcare and is not in any breach of its contract.

The ACT Government clearly plotted behind Calvary's back. The legislation to make this happen was tabled in the Assembly without any notice and it was pushed through without proper scrutiny on the next sitting day, 31 May—with an acquisition date of the third of July—it's nothing short of outrageous.

The ACT Government even went so far as to move a motion to ensure that the normal committee inquiry process into legislation was circumvented.

Understandably, Calvary, and its owner the Little Company of Mary, were devastated.    .I understand that the CEO, Martin Bowles had been in discussions with the government about the provision of hospital services in the north of Canberra but had not heard from the government for six months.

Many of the 1,800 staff at Calvary are also, understandably, very upset. They have chosen to work at Calvary because of its good culture which stands in contrast to ACT Health, which is well known from numerous staff surveys to have a toxic workplace culture and poor management practices.

Some of those emails my office has received, reference concerns expressed by these staff.

"The nursing staff at the hospital are angry and very disappointed. These nurses write, "As members of the Canberra community, it concerns us hugely that we have now set a precedent for due process to be bypassed, for consultation to be bypassed, in order to facilitate the government to do as it pleases."

Has any thought even been given to the impact on ACT Health's ability to run clinical services at Calvary once the takeover is completed on 3 July?

Without even considering how ACT Health might continue to deliver high quality services at the standard achieved by Calvary, there is also the question about the cost.

How many millions of dollars is the taxpayer going to be required to spend to change from Calvary to ACT Health ownership without a single quantifiable benefit?

The ACT Government's arguments about a single, integrated service being easier to run are hard to justify—especially when you look at the way State and private systems work cooperatively and effectively in other jurisdictions like Queensland, Victoria, and NSW with organisations like Mater and St Vincent's very successfully delivering public hospital services.

I am convinced, that this is an exercise based more around ideology than good policy. It is being viewed by many as an anti-faith agenda by a Greens-Labor coalition and it is hard not to believe that at its heart, that's what's driving this whole saga.

This is also at the heart of the concerns raised by everyday Australians, just like this one :

"The appalling decision by the ACT Government to forcibly take over Canberra's Calvary Hospital is very concerning.

It is obvious that the tensions between the government and the hospital's Catholic values have played a large part in the decision.

The government wants the hospital to provide euthanasia and abortion, but this goes against long-standing Catholic beliefs on the value of life.

In our free, pluralistic and diverse society, Calvary Hospital should have the freedom to conscientiously object to intentionally taking lives through abortion and euthanasia without the threat of being "acquired" by the government.

This is a clear act of religious discrimination.

The fact that a government can forcibly take over an institution because it does not align with that government's values sets a dangerous precedent in our nation.

This overrides our human rights to have autonomy and for the Government to have minimal impediment to citizens functioning in daily lives.

We must make a stand against governments that dislike religious freedom and think that they can force religious institutions out of existence."

So where are we at now? Last week, in this place, I put forward a motion for an inquiry into this action taken by the ACT Government. I was supported in this by several of my colleagues and thank you all for your support.

Calvary sought to have the legislation overturned in the ACT Supreme Court, but the case was dismissed by the court and the transition is now proceeding. Calvary is awaiting the full judgement from the court before deciding on any possible appeals.

It is clear the ACT Government wants this fight. It wants the conflict, and it is determined to win at any cost to the staff, to taxpayers and to the community.

The way they have plotted in secret and ambushed Calvary, the speed with which this is happening, and the circumvention of democratic process does not speak of a government acting in good faith. It shows a government that is riding roughshod over an organisation that has provided a great service to Canberra for over 40 years.

I'd like to close by quoting yet another of those emails:

"Calvary Hospital is being forced out of existence.

This should not happen in Australia!

We need to fight for justice and for what is right!!!

What amazes me is that a government thinks it can shove anyone aside that stands in its way.

The Federal Government needs to step in now.

This is not the Australia that I love and am proud of.

Please stand against this disgraceful behaviour."

I ask you to stand up with me for the people of the ACT, join with me in this fight against the ACT Government and support this legislation to force the ACT Government to conduct an inquiry into the legislation that enables the acquisition. This does not impact on the ACT Government's rights to make decisions, it is intended to ensure that there is public consultation on the decision that has been made, so that people can have their voices heard.

I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.