Operating under an agreement between the Catholic Church and the ACT government, Calvary Hospital has provided essential faith-based healthcare to Canberrans since it was established in 1979.
Now, the hospital has been radically and forcibly taken over by the territory’s Labor/Greens government.
Bureaucrats seized Calvary Hospital on Sunday 2nd July, merging its 1,800 workers into the public system and effectively shutting down all Christian influence at the institution.
Photos of a crane removing the cross from the hospital’s main entrance have reverberated throughout the media, and have come to symbolize the hostile takeover in scenes more reminiscent of 20th century Communism than modern Australia.
The reason for the compulsory acquisition is almost certainly Calvary Hospital’s faithful pro-life stance on abortion and euthanasia, which was scrutinised in a recent government report.
According to Catholic Weekly, the announcement of the takeover came “less than a month after a government inquiry into abortion and reproductive choice described Calvary as ‘problematic… due to an overriding religious ethos’.”
The hostile takeover of Calvary Hospital is a wake-up call to Australian believers to stop voting for anti-Christian major parties and instead direct their vote where it will make a difference. The Australian Christians are wholeheartedly committed to religious freedom. We are ready to fight the battles the major parties gave up on years ago.
Astonishingly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, an alleged Catholic, has indicated his support for the takeover.
With friends like this, who needs enemies?
Indeed, Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn Christopher Prowse has described the takeover as a “worrying precedent”. “It’s a very sad day when governments can simply decide to mount a take-over of any enterprise they like without any justification,” he lamented.
Australian Christians, alongside The Australian Christian Lobby has likewise signaled fears for “the autonomy of faith-based institutions and their ability to uphold their religious ethos.”
The ACL further added, “It not only dismisses conscientious objection, it sets a concerning precedent for potential takeovers of other institutions,” including “Christian schools, aged care facilities, and adoption agencies that don’t accord with government ideology”.
Catholic Voice even started a petition that has already attracted over 40,000 signatures. Succinct but pointed, the petition reads:
To the Members of the ACT Legislative Assembly:
We are extremely concerned at the announcement that the ACT Government intends to forcibly acquire Calvary Hospital.
Catholic hospitals have faithfully served the community for 170 years. They treat more than 1.5 million patients yearly, or three patients every minute.
The actions by the ACT government are an abuse of property rights and religious freedom.
We are concerned especially that:
- the legislation was drafted and tabled without any consultation with Calvary Hospital, management, staff or patients,
- the proposed timeframe demonstrates a complete unwillingness on the part of the ACT Government to dialogue with its citizens,
- that the ACT government does not have the competency to run a second hospital, as it is already struggling to provide adequate services at the Canberra Hospital,
- that the government will target other faith, welfare and community groups without consultation.
The signatories to this petition have a variety of religious beliefs and value the work of Calvary Hospital under its current management.
We petition you, Members of the Legislative Assembly, to reject any attempts – legislative or otherwise – by the ACT Government to acquire Calvary Hospital.
Thank you in expectation, ACT Community.
The Australian Christians encourage every believer in the nation to sign the above petition.
However, one petition will not save our country. Australia needs an army of Christian people rising up with one voice for truth and freedom. The Australian Christians need your support and your vote. We need to get our candidates elected to parliaments all across the nation to put an end to the intolerance and madness seen in Canberra over the last month.
Stand with us today for religious freedom.
Together, let’s win back our nation!
