An Update

Statement by the Board of Father Bob Maguire Foundation

The Board wishes to take this opportunity to clarify the facts in relation to Fr Bob and the Foundation, given that there has been months of ill-informed, sometimes scurrilous and often stupid comments, opinions and suggestions especially on social media largely inspired by online conspiracy theorists. 

This has been a sensitive and difficult period because it relates to Fr Bob’s personal and private health conditions.  These matters belong with his family, not the Foundation, and family members have copped significant abuse in more recent times.  The issues at stake were thoroughly canvassed and considered at a recent VCAT Hearing in which Fr Bob participated.  The result of that hearing was that Fr Bob’s family were granted Guardianship in relation to where he lives and what care he gets.  VCAT does not make such decisions lightly. It relies on a number of medical views of Fr Bob’s physical and mental condition.

Of particular relevance is that the VCAT decision means that Fr Bob is no longer eligible to be a Board member (or Chairman) of the Foundation.  This is a legal dictate under the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019.

We have previously described this as Fr Bob ‘stepping down’. Comments on social media have been distressing for Fr Bob’s family, and it’s been disappointing that several people have participated and amplified this ill-informed commentary. Those people are known to us because of their history of threatening and aggressive emails and posts on social media.

There have been many grossly ill-informed and patently wrong assertions made, often by people who have never met him or worked with him saying that it’s all a conspiracy by the Board to get rid of Fr Bob.  

• Fr Bob was not sacked from the Board – he is no longer eligible to be on the Board.

• It’s been alleged that Fr Bob didn’t know he was no longer on the Board – he was present at the VCAT Hearing and he was told personally two weeks ago that he was no longer eligible to be on the Board

• Suggestions that the Board are just doing it for their own gain are just ridiculous – we are all volunteers who have been helping Fr Bob for decades.

• The staff were made redundant because there is no further work for them – we had been discussing this with them over recent months.

• The office in Albert Park will be closed – this, together with the action re staff, will save the Foundation hundreds of thousands of dollars which will be redirected to helping those in need

• Others have made claims that the Catholic Church got rid of Fr Bob – they are in fact providing him with all the necessary 24 hour care that he requires which is improving his physical health and which he is enjoying.

Those familiar with Fr Bob’s mental state are not surprised by recent comments attributed to him.  Fr Bob has always been someone who ‘comes out swinging’ in any context.  However, in recent times his opinions have taken on an eccentric flavour.  Despite that, the views he held for most of his life remain the inspiration behind the Foundation.  Fr Bob seems to have failed to understand the Board’s decision to reduce overheads, make administrative staff redundant and spend the $300,000 savings on works to benefit the disadvantaged.  The view of the Board is that in his prime this is exactly what Fr Bob would have promoted and supported.

The Board of Father Bob Maguire Foundation are making this public statement to try and stop the stress being caused to Fr Bob and his family.  We look forward to Fr Bob continuing to be the inspiration for the work that the Foundation does into the future.