Brindabella Christian College. Investigations are far from over. Photo: Region.
Liquidators of the company that ran Brindabella Christian College will continue to investigate its affairs and lodge a report with the corporate regulator.
The Second Creditors Meeting held on Thursday (31 July) voted to wind up Brindabella Christian Education Ltd in the wake of a damning report from Deloitte administrators, which alleged multiple breaches of the Corporations ACT, including some that could bring criminal charges.
The school reform group welcomed the decision to appoint liquidators and called for greater scrutiny from regulators of charities and private schools.
Section 533 of the Corporations Act 2001 requires that liquidators lodge a report to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) if a past or present officer of a company may have been guilty of an offence under Commonwealth, State or Territory law.
Any further investigations by the liquidators will need to fulfil their obligations under this section.
A report will need to be lodged with ASIC within six months of liquidators being appointed, but ASIC can always request further information from the liquidators at any time.
Reform BCC said the decision to wind up BCEL and appoint a liquidator would allow investigations to continue into where and how parents’ fees and public funds were spent.
“The 24 July 2025 Creditors Report by Deloitte confirmed serious misconduct and failings of the Directors, which we implore ASIC, ACNC [the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission] and education authorities to investigate and prosecute fully, given the significant harm to BCC community members professionally, emotionally, practically and financially,” it said.
Reform BCC called for changes in the regulation of the charity and education sectors to ensure future notifications of serious mis-governance and harm to individuals are taken more seriously and acted upon more swiftly.
It stated that unfit directors should be removed or compelled to step down during the ongoing appeals or reviews.
“The BCEL directors remained in control of over $20 million of public funds and decision makers of children’s care and education throughout their AAT review, which took another two years only to see the school’s financial circumstances worsen and harm to the community prolonged,” Reform BCC said.
“Throughout the education regulatory actions, it appeared the authorities were often powerless or encumbered by regulations and legislation which, as shown in the case of BCEL, is not fit for purpose and protects the wrong people.
“Charity and education institutions ought be held to the highest governance standards and accountability in practice because of their purpose and focus in meeting the needs of vulnerable people and their use of public funds.
“We hope the Brindabella story will motivate necessary change to protect people in future, not institutions.”
It is understood that many parties are no longer considered creditors, such as continuing employees who have had their employee entitlements transferred across to the new owner of the college, Christian Community Ministries.
They also include parents who had paid for 2025 tuition in advance and who did not subsequently withdraw their enrolment, because their payments have been honoured by CCM.
There are also some secured creditors who have been either paid out or had their agreements adopted by CCM.
CCM paid $30 million for the college, which will allow all creditors to be paid out in full.
Former BCEL board chair Greg Zwagjenberg continues to deny responsibility for the collapse of the school’s finances, waging a social media campaign attacking the administrators and blaming a “Vexatious Secret State Cabal” for BCC’s predicament.
BCEL went into voluntary administration in March owing more than $23 million, including $9 million to its financier NAB and $6 million to the Tax Office.
