The Greens have called for an investigation into the governing body of the Cranbrook School after revelations today that one of its members remained a member of the board for 22 years after being convicted of a child sex offence.
The offender, Peter Cullen Macarthur, was a member of the Association of Independent Schools of NSW when it investigated claims, revealed in the “Old School” Four Corners report, that a Cranbrook teacher had sent sexually explicit emails to a former female student.
The Association of Independent Schools of NSW is the governing body for around 500 independent schools in NSW and is responsible for receiving and distributing government funding to its member schools. Member schools have reported more $13.6 billion in federal funding in the past decade.
Under the Education Act 2013 all approved non-government school authorities must be a “fit and proper person”. As prescribed in the Australian Education Regulations 2023 the Minister may have regard to whether a person has been convicted of or charged with an offence, “including an offence in relation to children”, or whether the person has engaged in a “deliberate pattern of immoral or unethical behaviour”, in determining whether they are fit and proper.
As stated by Greens spokesperson on Primary and Secondary Education, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:
“These shocking revelations call into question whether the Association of Independent Schools of NSW is an appropriate body to be receiving federal funding.
“In the decade to 2022 the private schools governed by the authority – including Newington College, SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Scots College – reported combined federal government income of more than $13 billion.
“It’s bad enough that some of the wealthiest schools in the country continue to have their designer uniforms and gleaming performing arts centres subsidised from the public purse.
“But it’s utterly unacceptable that a body with such a profound influence over the education and wellbeing of thousands of children would allow a convicted child sex offender to remain serving on its board for 22 years.
“The Education Minister must instruct the Department of Education to launch a thorough investigation into the Association to determine whether it should continue to receive billions of dollars of government funding every year.”
