Redeemer Baptist School refuses to work with ‘biased politician’

After three days of public hearings and months of investigation, the NSW Legislative Council inquiry led by NSW Greens MP Abigail Boyd has released its report into the Baptist Redeemer School, with the school criticising the committee as reductive and predetermined.

The report confirmed that staff were denied workplace rights and did not receive adequate compensation, with the school also failing to protect staff and students from harm, including the mishandling of sexual assault allegations.

As reported, the hearings heard that the school exerted extreme control over its students and staff and bypassed compensation obligations by categorising teachers as religious volunteers.

In the report’s opening remarks, Boyd said that “there appears to have been no procedures put in place by relevant authorities to monitor what was patently a high-risk situation for children and staff alike”.

Of the report’s significant findings, it was determined there was a strong likelihood of a high-control environment, that students were often isolated from external reference points, and that concerning practices that breached child safeguarding standards such as staff sharing beds with students occurred.

The inquiry also confirmed that the school inaccurately classified workers as volunteers and disproportionately paid them despite the workers being legally classified as employees.

In this way, it was determined that the withholding of adequate and appropriate pay, compounded by the culture of control, left many workers to depend on the school financially, unable to leave the school or seek support.

The report also raised concerns over the school’s multimillion-dollar property portfolio while at the same time “not paying its staff and appearing to control staff tax affairs”.

In a media statement released on 10 November, a spokesman for the school said Boyd ignored positive submissions to the inquiry when tabling the report in what was termed a prejudiced assumption about alleged coercion.

The spokesman said: “Today a Greens-led inquiry made findings against an Independent School operated by suburban, conservative Christians. What a surprise.”

“This pre-determined conclusion is made all the less shocking by the media commentary from the Chair which pre-tempted this taxpayer-funded process.”

The statement alleged that the committee ignored all positive submissions to the inquiry, alleging the positive submissions doubled the number of negative submissions.

The spokesman said: “The Committee actively only heard from a small number of former [school] community members who allege a negative experience and who have long-running grievances.

“The Committee’s shutting down of voices contrary to their predetermined views while purporting to be the voice of others is unprecedented hypocrisy.”

The report made 10 recommendations, including that the school categorise and compensate its staff as employees and provide appropriate back pay; that the NSW government expedite the Parliamentary Evidence Amendment (Attendance of Witnesses) Bill 2026 to restore parliamentary capacity to compel the attendance of witnesses; and that NESA’s investigation incorporate an understanding of high-control environments.

The report urged the Office of the Children’s Guardian to “exercise its powers under section 8V of the Children’s Guardian Act 2019 to urgently investigate the school’s compliance with the Child Safe Standards”.

Further, it was recommended that the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) halt new enrolments until the investigation is completed, and that the Audit Office of NSW audit the school’s finances.

Similarly, it urged NESA to review and strengthen regulatory and school registration processes and review with the NSW Department of Education the homestay arrangements for international students.

The committee also requested “the NSW Police Force, Office of Children’s Guardian, Australian Taxation Office and Services Australia commence investigations into Redeemer Baptist to the extent not already commenced”.

The school’s statement agreed that due process should be followed when it comes to proposed sanctions before investigative or regulatory findings are made.

It said: “The fact is that the appropriate regulators for looking into schools are the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and the Federal Education Department.

“The fact is that these bodies have both looked into Baptist Redeemer School before and have found no case to answer.

“The fact is that these bodies are both looking into the school again – which is appropriate and within their remit – and we are fully cooperating with these unbiased, professional processes.

“We would also cooperate with an inquiry from any other proper independent authority – be that Police, the ATO or the Office of the Children’s Guardian, but we will not work with a Committee led by a biased politician with an axe to grind and a profile to build.”

The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch has called for the NSW government to “take urgent action to investigate the issues identified by the inquiry”.

Union secretary Carol Matthews said: “It has been horrifying to learn how students and staff were treated at the school.”

“It’s almost impossible for staff to leave because they did not receive pay and the school exerted a high degree of financial control over them … this has had a chilling effect on staff seeking union support.”

The IEU’s underpayment claim against the school remains ongoing before the Federal Court.

Matthews said: “The union is determined to ensure the school meets its legal obligations to staff.”

“This includes proper payment of wages, superannuation and all other entitlements.”

Boyd said: “I am confident that we will see action taken to reform Redeemer Baptist School’s governance and operations and hopefully to also provide justice and compensation to all those who have been negatively impacted by their experience at and within Redeemer over decades.”

A government response is due by 10 February 2027.

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