TRANSCRIPT
2CC Breakfast with Stephen Cenatiempo
Topics: Bruce Calvary Hospital
31 May 2023
E&OE.
Stephen Cenatiempo
I’ve mentioned on a number of occasions that at least three Federal Labor MPs have expressed their concerns about the ACT Government’s compulsory acquisition position of Calvary Hospital in Bruce. Yesterday, the Coalition Joint Party Room met to discuss the issue and it released a press release on the matter, co-signed by the leader Peter Dutton who we’ve spoken to about it on this program before. Anne Ruston, the [Shadow] Health Minister and Shadow Attorney-General Senator Michaelia Cash who joins us now, Senator, good morning.
Senator Cash
Good morning Stephen.
Stephen Cenatiempo
This is an extraordinary situation. I guess the difficulty or the big disappointment to a lot of people is that the Prime Minister has kind of acquiesced to this and I mean hasn’t, I guess, implicitly supported the ACT government, but basically said it’s their business, none of mine. As I mentioned, I’ve spoken to three Federal Labor MPs who have also expressed their concerns to me, one publicly, Dave Smith, the member for Bean who obviously sits here in the ACT. What are you hearing from other Labor members up on the hill?
Senator Cash
Very much so, many of them are concerned. But in particular, I mean, this is an extraordinary attack on freedom of religion, and on the rights of private and religious health care providers to care for the sick. There are many in particular on the Labor Right, they know that this sets a dangerous and unsettling precedent for every faith based school, aged care provider, or social welfare service. And I’ll be honest with you, they have expressed their own disappointment in their own Prime Minister that he will not stand up for the rights of faith based health care providers. And instead, because of his left wing tendencies, let’s face it, he has rolled over. In fact worse, he’s not rolled over. He actually condones this despicable move by the ACT Government.
Stephen Cenatiempo
You mentioned that the Federal Government does have jurisdiction to intervene on this, the legislation won’t actually go through the ACT Assembly until about 10 o’clock this morning. Does that have to happen first before the Federal Government can intervene?
Senator Cash
Well technically no, this is a territory law and the Commonwealth could, should it choose, override it. But in the first instance, what the Prime Minister should be doing today, he should be calling his mate, the Chief Minister, and saying, “Hold off, don’t do it. This is a bad move, and very much so if you do proceed to do it, I’m going to make it very clear that I am going to intervene.” But not only that, as you and I know, it’s completely understandable now that Calvary has decided it’s going to have to challenge this legislation in the court. Now, that’s a great disappointment. They’ve been put in the impossible position of having their hospital forcibly taken from them and it’s now, as you and I know, it’s in less than six weeks with nothing more than a vague promise of compensation at some time in the future. But no one can tell them what that compensation might be. Well quite frankly, the Prime Minister, he should also consider intervening in that court case. And, you know, support this move by Calvary Hospital. This, to me, this is the message the Prime Minister is sending by his complicitness in this process: every Australian of faith will know, they cannot trust this Prime Minister to protect religious institutions. And guess what? Another broken promise, because he promised to do that prior to the last election.
Stephen Cenatiempo
The other concern here, as I expressed to the ACT Opposition Leader earlier this morning, is that if Calvary are successful in their legal action, this could be anywhere up to billions in compensation that the ACT Government, which is currently broke, will have to pay. I mean this is extraordinary.
Senator Cash
Well it is extraordinary because when you actually look at the situation, they have 76 years left to go on their lease. You tell me how much the compensation is going to be. Because let’s face it, no one actually knows what the compensation is going to be. But you know what’s worse, Stephen? It actually doesn’t have to come to this. It doesn’t have to come to this. Calvary was running a public hospital, and in fact, my understanding is it was the best performing hospital in the ACT.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Yep.
Senator Cash
This is nothing more and nothing less than the ACT Government’s abuse of power in the forcible takeover of the Calvary Hospital. And they don’t need to do it. They don’t need to pass the legislation today and they can sit back down and continue their discussions with Calvary as they should.
Stephen Cenatiempo
Senator, good to speak to you this morning.
Senator Cash
Great to be with the Stephen. Thank you very much.
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