Brindabella Christian College board chair Greg Zwajgenberg is asking parents to pay their fees to keep the school going. Photo: Region.
Brindabella Christian School board chair Greg Zwajgenberg has accused the ACT Government of plotting to take over the embattled private school, despite the claim being based on an alleged “overheard conversation” from a staff member at their apartment complex.
In an update to parents and staff dated 25 February, Mr Zwajgenberg alleges the government is contemplating a Lyneham super-school precinct and refers to its takeover of Calvary Hospital as a precedent.
“It would now appear from conversations overheard, Minister Berry, with the willing or naïve assistance of ReformBCC, is pursuing her own agenda for a ‘super-school’ precinct that would encompass Lyneham High, Lyneham Primary, Brindabella Christian School and Lyneham Oval,” he told parents.
“We are now seeking assurances about Brindabella not being another Calvary Hospital and we will communicate our findings.”
Mr Zwajgenberg shared the alleged staff member’s 22 February email with parents and staff, as well as a sweeping response to the Australian Taxation Office’s wind-up action over an $8 million debt, in which he repeats the takeover claim to the Commissioner of Taxation, Rob Heferen.
“… and alarmingly … there exists a broader plan to liquidate our College to create an inner Canberra ‘super-school’ model around Lyneham Primary School, Lyneham High School and Brindabella Christian College,” he writes.
The email claims to be a record of a conversation involving a government employee on an adjacent verandah.
“The visitor spoke as someone who worked in an (unidentified) ACT department, boasting of the imminent closure of Brindabella,” the email reads.
The email refers to a staff member who hadn’t been paid going to the media, a Tax Office investigation, the school’s belief that the government is anti-Christian and the merger plan.
“The actual plan is to see the ‘school’s’ closure to liquidate the school, create an inner Canberra super-school with a unique design. There will be three schools in the one area – the primary, the high school and Brindabella. It is separated by a ‘channel’ that can be easily negotiated by students,” it reads.
However, ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry has already stated that cancelling the school’s registration will not be part of any regulatory action she is considering.
A spokesperson said late today (26 February) that Ms Berry was not going to provide a running commentary on the situation to maintain procedural fairness as she awaits the school’s response to her show cause notice.
Mr Zwajgenberg’s letters shed light on the school’s perilous financial position, with Mr Zwajgenberg revealing that it is about $1 million short for February and that 2025 enrolments are down by 200 to 250 students.
As a result, some teachers have not yet been paid for the current pay period, with the school saying they will be paid as fees come in and on the basis of need.
Independent Education Union NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews said late today that the union was taking Brindabella Christian College to the industrial umpire over unpaid wages and superannuation after the school failed to respond to requests for assurances by 4 pm today that staff would be paid immediately.
“We’ve been left with no choice but to take Brindabella Christian College to the Fair Work Commission to compel the school to pay its staff in full and on time,” Ms Matthews said.
“We took Brindabella to the FWC last year over unpaid superannuation; now the situation has deteriorated even further.
“It’s unprecedented for a school not to pay their staff, and for the school to be facing such grave financial difficulties has left the staff feeling shocked and anxious.”
The union called on Brindabella to stop blaming others for its financial mess.
It continues to advise members at the school to turn up for work.
BCC board chair Greg Zwajgenberg said reports of the school’s debt have been inflated. Photo: LinkedIn.
Mr Zwajgenberg blames the cashflow problem on the Commonwealth deciding to pay the school in monthly instalments instead of an up-front $5 million, which he has said would have cleared the tax debt. The school receives about $10 million a year in Commonwealth funding.
He claims the $8 million figure in the wind-up action is inflated and the debt is actually $5.9 million.
Parents were told that on 17 February, the day before the ATO application was lodged with the Federal Court, that business manager John Clarke and Mr Zwajgenberg met directly with Assistant Commissioner Kitto, front-line officers and the Tax Office’s legal counsel to discuss a payment plan that would have enabled the school to clear the debt in 12 months.
Mr Zwajgenberg repeated his pleas for parents to pay their fees.
“In these challenging times, I urge all parents to continue supporting us by ensuring timely fee payments so that we can safeguard our dedicated staff and the future of our children,” he writes.
He also accused the school reform group of colluding with ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry, among a number of specious and potentially defamatory claims in his response to the Tax Office.
However, ReformBCC denied that its members had met with Ms Berry’s office or the minister personally.
“We dispute the allegations by BCEL [the school’s operator, Brindabella Christian Education Limited] that there is collusion or favouritism from Berry’s office,” the group said in a statement.
“We exist to promote transparency and make available publicly available factual information for the community to review for themselves.”
ReformBCC said it was very concerned about the suitability of persons in management and control of a school who openly refute the authority or jurisdiction of regulators and statutory authorities.
“This creates disorder and distress and right now is exposing the BCC community of staff and students to serious risks,” it said.
“The school needs education officials or authorities to step in immediately.”
It appears the school is also postponing events and gatherings. The Junior School Parent Barbecue has been postponed until further notice due to unforeseen circumstances, and the Duke of Edinburgh Parent and Student Information Evening has been delayed until Term 2.
The letter to the ATO does not detail any plans about how the school intends to actually pay the debt.
BCEL faces a hearing in the Federal Court on 26 March.
It also has until 6 March to respond to a show cause notice from Ms Berry.
The Education Directorate has set up a hotline for BCC parents and staff looking for information or support. The hotline is staffed from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. The number is 6205 5429.
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