When you hear the words forced government takeover.
What images does that evoke for you?
I would suggest probably not an Australian scenario.
But this is precisely what is happening,
and it has far reaching ramifications for freedom of conscience and faith in our nation.
I'll explain and invite you to add your voice to the growing national outrage
over the direct government intervention occurring in Canberra
that is circumventing democratic processes.
Many believe what's happening is the beginning of the end
of freedom of conscience in Australia.
In a move that has angered just about everyone.
The ACT Labor government has initiated a compulsory acquisition
of the Catholic owned, not for profit, Calvary Public Hospital.
In doing so they have confirmed a view held by many,
that their party is socialist leaning, is faithless,
that it favours big government, and is hungry for land and assets.
A day after the announcement of intention to take over the hospital
was made, an enabling bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly
along with a motion to suspend the requirement for a committee inquiry.
Clearly indicating the rationale behind the takeover, the
ACT President of the AMA praised the decision on ABC radio saying
"Healthcare services should be delivered without being bound by ideology."
Now, what he wants is to replace one ideology with another:
Pro-life versus pro-abortion.
His reference to their ideology is a slight on their belief
in the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
It's an important aspect of the hospital's stated commitment to compassion and mercy,
and it's a worldview shared by millions of Australians.
Calvary Hospital is committed to enhancing life, not seeking to end life.
Because of this they conscientiously object to the provision of elective abortions,
and have made it clear they won't participate in the
implementation or delivery of euthanasia.
To require a Catholic hospital to perform elective abortions
is a breach of human rights.
Have a listen here to Father Tony Percy.
What about the independent schools?
If they start teaching things the government doesn't like,
you can bet your bottom dollar, that the government will come after them.
And then who's next?
Which state is next?
Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales?
Imagine if Saint Vincent's in Sydney was treated like this.
This is one of the most revered institutions and yet this could happen,
if we don't stand up and fight for proper property rights
in this magnificent country of ours, Australia,
which is a free and fair nation.
We've got to keep it that way.
The Liberal Party agrees with him.
ACT's acting Opposition Leader, Jeremy Hanson, has accused
ACT's Labor Government of quasi dictatorship,
and described the decision not to follow due process,
and have an inquiry to examine the issue, as undemocratic.
Federal Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, said that he was not aware of an action like it,
where a government has taken a decision based on their opposition to a religion,
to compulsorily acquire a hospital in these circumstances.
A facility that he said that's working well in the
greater public interest and good in a local community.
Catholic hospitals treat more than 1.5 million patients yearly.
That's three patients every minute, bringing a healing ministry
to those who are sick and in need of healing, hope and nurture.
But that's not good enough for the ACT Labor government.
They won't be happy until the Calvary Hospital also assists in procedures that purposefully kill.
The takeover of Calvary has everything to do with its Christian convictions.
It's impossible not to connect the dots.
In a recent government report regarding abortion and reproductive choice,
Calvary Hospital was described as problematic due to an overriding religious ethos.
The problem is that the ACT are advocating for
more abortions through their push for free abortions,
So they wanna make sure they can accommodate what they believe will be a growing industry.
For this reason they detest the pure and simple motivation behind Calvary's pro-life stance.
They believe that Calvary Hospital should have to provide abortions
and when it becomes legal to euthanise the elderly and sick.
They claim this is a reflection of human rights, but they completely ignore the human right to life
and the right to exercise one's conscience.
Albert Einstein said: "Never do anything against conscience. Even if the state demands it."
It's an appalling indictment on the ACT government that this is precisely what they are demanding.
Forget about your conscience.
The Latin meaning of which is literally
con with science knowledge, conscience with knowledge.
The knowledge that abortion kills a human being.
To deny someone their right to act according to their conscience, their belief, their thoughts,
overrides our most important freedom.
Our multicultural, multifaith nation is known for
having a healthy respect for our diversity of views.
But this decision to dispossess property without consultation
certainly has other community groups wondering "who's next?"
Are all institutions in the ACT vulnerable to a government acquisition?
There's also a clear federal imputation.
The repossession of Calvary by powerful people creates a clear precedent for
other governments to seize faith based services like education and aged care.
This blatant abuse of religious freedom rights coincides with the Federal Labor government
announcement that legislation to protect religious freedom will be introduced in this parliament.
But will it? Sadly not in time to save the Calvary Hospital
or protect the religious freedom of medical practitioners in the ACT.
The history of hospitals in the ACT is fraught.
Canberra used to have three public hospitals.
The Woden Valley Hospital which became the Canberra Hospital.
Calvary Public Hospital and the original Canberra Hospital.
Then in 1997 despite community opposition, the original Canberra Hospital was
closed and publicly detonated in a macabre publicity stunt in front of 100,000 people.
It was planned as a spectacle to let the Canberra community know the hospital was gone forever.
But it was a dangerous way to make a political point and it
went horribly wrong. When pieces of steel flew across Lake Burley Griffin,
injuring some and killing a precious 12 year old girl who was there as a spectator with her family.
It's a tragedy still etched in the memory of the nation's capital.
Following the event, the media spoke to people in the crowds about what they'd witnessed.
One man spoke of his lucky escape.
Listen to what he said. "I was born in Canberra Hospital
and I'm lucky not to be killed by it as well."
"I was born in Canberra Hospital and I'm lucky not to be killed by it as well."
It's a haunting statement when you consider that the ACT government is determined that
any hospital in their territory will have a mandate to kill. In the Psalms
we are assured of the sanctity, the value of every single human being.
We read that it was God who formed us.
It says He knit us together in our mother's womb and that we are wonderfully made.
The beauty of this is rejected by the ACT government.
If you care about freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom of thought.
Then please sign the petition to save Calvary Hospital.
We've included the link in this post.
But more than that, we must let the federal government know that religious
freedom is a foundational principle of a pluralist democracy such as ours.
And it is an essential right that we are not prepared to relinquish.
Australians of faith believe that God would not have them hurt or kill another.
And that belief overrides any government directive because the government is not God.
God bless you.