Catholic Education head fears Calvary takeover sets precedent for schools

Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese director Ross Fox said parents, teachers, principals and school community members had raised concerns that the hospital acquisition would set a precedent for other organisations, including Catholic schools.

"This is a most unexpected action. It seems to be highly unusual. I'm not aware of the precedent for it, certainly in the ACT," Mr Fox said.

"Therefore, if it occurs for the operator of a public hospital is that a sort of precedent for those who operate non-government schools in the ACT and particularly Catholic schools?"

Mr Fox said if capacity pressures have prompted the Calvary Public Hospital takeover, similar arguments could be made for schools.

"There are pressures on school capacities ... I guess people have looked at some of the arguments put forward by the ACT government for why a compulsory acquisition is justified," he said.

"And the possible interpretation is the same principled policy arguments could be applied to other services, other community services, other community institutions, including schools."

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Mr Fox wrote to Education Minister Yvette Berry and acting opposition leader Jeremy Hanson about these concerns. He said he took the government's justification for the hospital acquisition on face value and assumed it was not because it was a Catholic-run hospital.

Ms Berry said in a response the hospital acquisition would not set a precedent for a future compulsory acquisition of Catholic schools.

"I would like to reassure you that the decision to acquire Calvary Public Hospital Bruce was made to ensure the ACT government can deliver a more efficient and effective public hospital system," Ms Berry said.

"To be clear, the religious affiliation of Calvary Health Care had no bearing on this decision."

Ms Berry said the government had partnerships with several faith-based organisations and looked forward to continuing these partnerships in the future.

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