Brindabella Christian College operating as usual despite entering voluntary administration

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Brindabella Christian College could still lose its authority to receive commonwealth funding despite going into voluntary administration. Today, the ACT government revealed it has extended a deadline for the school to answer to a show cause notice amid ongoing concerns about its governance and finances. But a deadline for the college to respond to federal scrutiny remains imminent.

Transcript

00:00Students headed to class this morning as Brindabella Christian College adopted its business-as-usual

00:08approach to voluntary administration, with teachers told they will be paid.

00:13They've been told that they will be back paid by Friday, tomorrow, the pay for the

00:19last pay period, and they will be paid in coming pay periods.

00:23So certainly there's some short-term stability.

00:26The school has also been given a short reprieve from a looming show cause deadline.

00:31I've provided an extension of two weeks, BCC asked for an extension of four weeks, I thought

00:37that two weeks was reasonable based on the evidence that was in front of me.

00:41But last week the Federal Education Department told Senate Estimates it was considering revoking

00:46the college's authority to receive Commonwealth funding, with the school due to respond tomorrow.

00:52Today, the Department told the ABC that deadline hasn't changed, though the Minister yesterday

00:58said funding payments will continue at this time.

01:02The ACT Education Minister wouldn't be drawn on whether the Territory Government would

01:06fill any financial gaps.

01:09I don't think it's time to be talking about bailouts at this point in time, we are talking

01:13about a school that's gone into voluntary administration that we are working with, as

01:18well as the voluntary administrators to keep the school operating.

01:23Parents have told the ABC they've been happy with the education their children have been

01:26receiving at the school, but they're frustrated with the ongoing uncertainty.

01:30It's a frustration the Teachers' Union says is shared by many staff, but they're now much

01:34more optimistic.

01:36The vast majority of staff have remained in place, even when there have been really significant

01:41financial difficulties, i.e. not being paid.

01:44So I think now that there's some greater certainty, we would expect staff would remain, they're

01:49very committed to the school and the students.

01:51With the Fair Work Commission hearing with the union tomorrow, the school's still got

01:55plenty of homework to do.

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