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.
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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.