The Independent Broad-Based Anticorruption Commission (“IBAC”) has been investigating DoE for quite some time and held hearings into DoE corruption in 2015 and 2016. They continue to be interested in taking complaints.
To date, investigations into corruption have largely centred on finances rather than areas such as unethical treatment of staff or the covering up of abuse of students with disabilities by DoE personnel. The numerous IBAC findings and details of the hearings can be found through an Internet search.
In 2023, the Beamaris Inquiry Report found that from the 1960s-1990s, DoE prioritised the reputation of its teachers who was sexually abusing students, over the safety and well-being of those students. The report can be found here – https://www.beaumarisinquiry.vic.gov.au/report
The practice of covering up the abuse of students with disabilities to protect the reputations of school staff has continued well after the 1990s. Any investigation of child abuse that the DoE has anything to do with it is unlikely to make adverse findings against itself, which is why the Beaumaris Inquiry was established not by the DoE, but by the State of Victoria, and the running of that Inquiry was completely independent, with the final report being public.
The connections between the Legal Division and the FOI Unit, are disturbing. On almost every occasion when a review of documents provided through the DoE FOI unit has been requested through the Office of the Victorian Information Commission, the Office finds that documents have been improperly withheld or improperly redacted. Disturbingly, evidence that assists in discrimination complaints has often conveniently been redacted without appropriate reason (according to the OVIC). In 2022, the DoE FOI unit refused to process a request for all notes made about a child. When evidence was provided to it that they had processed many earlier requests of the exact same nature, they refused to provide a reason as to why it was refused for this parent. The refusal was made by Gavin Sturma. An internal complaint was upheld by Manager Elle Maroudas.
There has been a deterioration in 2018 in every area of interface between parents of students with disabilities and DoE. This includes the provision of documents, the provision of information around restraint and seclusion, investigating restraint and seclusion, provision of documents through Freedom of Information, and the watering down of DoE policies to ensure that parents can obtain as little as possible.
The most disturbing corruption in the last 10 years comes around the abuse of children with disabilities in segregated schools. The DoE has refused to hold independent investigations into the abuse of children at Marnebek School, Southern Autistic School, Jackson School and Latrobe Special Developmental School. The variety and number of allegations, including from DoE’s own staff, have been rejected by DoE resulting in the cover up of abuse, and protection of staff involved. The DoE Legal Division has facilitated the provision of false evidence being provided at the Federal Court of Australia and VCAT. Evidence relating to abuse from former Assistant Principal of Marnebek School Kathrine Weston and former Principal Karen Dauncey has contradicted each other, and the evidence of multiple witnesses and victims.
As of 2022, a group of 16 parents/children have made a group complaint against DoE for failing to hold an independent investigation into these four segregated schools.
As of January 2025, there has been no ethical response from DoE, who are trying to strike the matter out in order that it cannot be heard.
Complex Matters Unit/Legal Division
Special mention should go to the Complex Matters Unit/Legal Division who write letters pretending to be other people in order that complaints about the education of children are never resolved, except after a parent takes legal action. This unit is only concerned with the legal liability of the Department of Education, rather than children with disabilities and their welfare.
As an example, this unit has written on behalf of Anne Cunniff and Stacey Gabriel of Northwest Region, confusing the two, using their electronic signatures. Two different people from the unit without knowing what the others was doing, have also written emails on behalf of the Principal of Hampton Park Secondary College Wayne Haworth, responding to correspondence from a parent.
Evidence indicates that the Legal Division/Complex Matters Team write letters in response to complaints about abuse and neglect of children with disabilities on behalf of almost all levels of personnel within DoE. This indicates a complex system that reaches every area of DoE in order to ensure that the abuse and neglect of students with disabilities is prevented from going forward at every point internally.
It is safest to assume if you have made a complaint that you are not actually dealing with people from your child’s school anymore. For confirmation, the comparison of writing styles will let you know that someone else is writing on behalf of your school contact. In addition, if you see the prolific use of the words “collaboration”, “in partnership”, “in the best interests of” or “the safety of xxxx is our highest priority”, “saddened”, in all likelihood you are dealing with the Complex Matters Unit. Lastly, if you used to get responses from your school in a couple of days, but now have to wait 1-3 weeks (or longer), it is likely all correspondence is going to the Complex Matters Unit.
The efforts DoE make to cover up abuse and neglect of students with disabilities are significant, and it is best to seek assistance externally as soon as possible if you believe your child is being mistreated. Individuals who are found guilty of neglect, or have a long history of violence against students with disabilities, are protected vigourously or simply moved around. The current Secretary as of January 2025 is fully informed. The DoE is extremely concerned about OHS in relation to the protection of its own staff. Unlike these concerns, stated repeatedly in writing, it has not expressed any concern about OHS in relation to students with disabilities who are being abused by their staff.