The ACT Greens have called on the ACT Government to step up their support for the Brindabella Christian College community as students, parents, teachers and staff are being left in the dark about the future of the school.
"We are alarmed that a rogue private operator has been allowed to descend into this level of turmoil without stronger, swifter government intervention," said Laura Nuttall MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson for education.
On Sunday it was revealed that many staff at Brindabella Christian College had not been paid their salaries this week, as the future of the school remains in doubt. The school also owes money to staff in superannuation and over $8 million to the Australian Taxation Office.
"Hundreds of students, parents, teachers and staff are rightly concerned about the school's future, and the subsequent impact on educational outcomes for students and employment security for staff.
"We've spoken to many families, including those involved in the group Reform BCC who are invested in the future of the school and they are rightly disappointed with the Government's lack of action.
"The ACT Government has an obligation to ensure that every child in the ACT has access to a good education. There must be greater protections in place to ensure that an independent operator cannot get to this point.
"The ACT Greens are urging the ACT Government to take every action they can to support the school community. The ACT Government should seriously look into the feasibility of bringing Brindabella Christian College into public administration in the short term, if that's what it takes to provide certainty for the BCC community.
"What we have witnessed is the failure of our current regulatory systems to intervene before a school reaches an inevitable crisis point. The regulatory action available to government has not been sufficient to ensure students and staff can confidently return to a safe, well-supported learning environment or, in the latter case, be paid their due salary during a cost of living crisis.
"This is not the first time government has been unable to act swiftly in the face of uncertain conditions for students or delayed payments for staff in a private institution.
"Both the ACT and Commonwealth Governments' inability to intervene before the majority of staff at Gowrie Genius Childcare resigned over unpaid super and adverse working conditions earlier this year demonstrates that we do not have strong enough regulatory settings for independent education providers.
"The ACT Government needs to enact better legislative safeguards to ensure it is never again in a position where it cannot act swiftly to support student and staff wellbeing.
"The ACT Greens will always advocate for a strong education sector and where this is private it must have sufficient safeguards for the good of students, educators and parents," said Miss Nuttall.
