Members at Brindabella Christian College are breathing a sigh of relief after a difficult start to the year that culminated in many not being paid for almost two weeks.
Staff at Brindabella can now fully focus on teaching and supporting students after the union took action when a majority of staff at the K-12 school in Canberra were not paid on 21 February in accordance with a scheduled pay period.
On 26 February, the union took Brindabella to the Fair Work Commission over the unpaid wages and superannuation after the school failed to provide assurances that staff would be paid immediately. It had taken the school to the FWC during 2024 over unpaid superannuation.
IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews said it was “unprecedented” for a school not to pay staff – a situation that understandably left them feeling shocked and anxious about paying bills, including mortgages and rent. The situation was not helped by school management seeking to blame others, including parents, for its financial predicament.
“This is no way to run a school,” Matthews said. “Our message is simple: pay staff accurately and on time.”
Intense media interest
Matthews advocated on behalf of Brindabella staff in frequent media interviews in The Canberra Times and The Australian, as well as on ABC radio and television, radio stations 2CC and Mix 106FM in Canberra, and online publications RiotACT and news.com.au.
Brindabella has almost 1200 students at its two campuses. Tuition fees in 2025 range from $10,575 a year for K-4 to about $15,400 for Years 9-12.
Matthews said in the media that the school’s worsening financial situation was puzzling given it receives both government funding and income from tuition fees.
Wages finally paid
At a hearing in the FWC on 3 March, Brindabella said it was seeking an “alternative funding source” that would enable it to pay staff overdue wages. Two days later, the school entered voluntary administration – a development welcomed by the union after the administrators from Deloitte offered assurances that staff would finally receive outstanding wages.
A letter to the school community from administrators Deloitte on 5 March said it was focused on ensuring the school continued to operate without disruption to classes.
On 7 March, dozens of Brindabella staff finally received their overdue pay as well as regular wages due that day.
Back to the industrial umpire
Meanwhile, the union returned to the FWC where the administrator committed to providing regular updates to staff, the wider school community and the union during the administration process. Matthews described this meeting as “productive and reassuring”.
The failure to pay staff on time follows court action launched in February by the Australian Taxation Office over an $8 million tax debt, which included penalties for not paying super to staff on time. At the time, the school said it had also been issued with a 14-day show cause notice by the ACT government to justify why it should continue receiving taxpayer funding.
The non-government Christian school has previously been investigated over a spate of governance and financial breaches.
Brindabella’s grave financial situation had also come to the notice of federal Senators and prompted the federal government to scrutinise the school’s finances and operations.
The union took Brindabella to the FWC in 2024 over unpaid superannuation.
With an administrator now in control of the school’s finances, the union understands federal funding will continue.
Matthews said the appointment of an administrator was a “huge relief” after the ongoing uncertainty and would allow staff to “fully focus on doing what they do best – teaching and supporting students”.
The union had stood with members at Brindabella throughout their protracted and difficult struggle to be paid their wages and superannuation, Matthews said. “We won’t hesitate to hold employers to account in the media and FWC.”