I would like to ask the opinion of On Line Opinion readers in relation to a matter of FOI (Freedom of Information) presently being dealt with by my family.

I have two FOI applications before the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (AD) and I have to reply to submissions with regard to matters set out below.

1. In response to an FOI application requesting details of the cost of the contract that the Department of Education (DET) have with the external agency Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER), to run an academic competition to identify the highest test scoring students.

2. In relation to a request to see the results of an audit that was done on the Selective Schools Unit wherein there were 32 recommendations made.

As a member of the public I have concerns about money being wasted. I wish to know how much money is being spent providing students who already get the highest of test marks with even more advantage and I want to know what issues were brought up in the audit report and whether they are being attended to or not.

I have this concern because the DET continuously cries poor when it comes to disadvantaged and disabled kids and we have had serious issues with Selective Schools test results and the handling of complaints.

The DET have argued that

A. If they release the amount of the contract then competitors would know and they would then be able to undercut them.

B. Audits are confidential as if staff know that they are going to release the Audit then staff will no longer tell the truth when they are being audited.

I can’t get my head around the replies it seems that they don’t want any competition and they do not want to show people what is going on.

My concern is that these matters should be open to scrutiny and agreement by the public otherwise DET staff can just as easily lie and nobody will ever find out as it is kept secret!

Any ideas how I might present this argument?

"As a member of the public I have concerns about money being wasted."

Do you? Then you must be concerned at the amount of public money being wasted on this protracted personal vendetta of yours.

"I wish to know how much money is being spent providing students who already get the highest of test marks with even more advantage.."

The whole flawed system of 'selective schooling' means that public funds are channelled into assisting students who are already advantaged. This has never bothered you in the least. Your only concern has always been that your own kids missed out on being part of this advantaged little clique. If your fight was really against money being spent unfairly on already advantaged students, it might have had some merit and gained some support.

How many threads have you started on this same tired issue now, Jolanda? Give us all a break, and move on.

I have doubts the wind mills you are tilting against even exist.
On this matter I agree with Bronwyn.
Others have highlighted concerns for your children, are they truly interested in your claims?
Life chucks things at us we have to live with.
And sometimes we needlessly wrestle phantoms.

Jolanda
Its termed Tendor.
Governments cant give out information that would provide 'inconfidence' privy biz information of a tendor.

However if you look in the correct places- and its hard to find you will be about to get those figures.

Its called research.

It will be broken up under several departments and found in the most unlikely places- such as Arts Transport etc.

Its possible your doing great harm to your kids by keeping up this agenda even if thats not you meant to do.

Perhaps teaching these kids to have a chip on their shoulder and that they are being hard done by isnt a good thing.

Try teaching them how lucky they are to live in the best country in the world.
Teach them to stop and smell the roses because we arein for hard times soon.

No water food and then perhaps even worse.

Bronwyn, made sense.- even Belly on this occassion.

Try listening for not only the kids sake but your own state on mind.

This is quite amazing I have a right to request information under FOI. It is our democratic right. My family have lodged applications against ACER for their contract not just to see how much they spend, but also to see what their agreement is with the DET because they refuse to give me direct access to my children's test marks and we have evidence that they have been manipulated by the DET and my four children have been targeted year after year.

My family have also been denied procedural fairness and natural justice with regard to handling of our complaints. We know for a fact that there is bias and corruption in the Selective Schools unit and we want to know what the audit exposed to make sure that the 'holes' and 'avenues' available for manipulation have been closed.

Yet all some of you can do is attack me for fighting for my children's right to be treated fairly and with respect. It is my duty to protect my children.

Here is how it goes. I am not interesting to hear what people think about my issues with the DET. We have a right to complain and we have a right to obtain documents and my family have justifiable good reason to complain. I am just interested in seeing if anybody can help me put an argument together. If you cannot help then please keep your comments to yourself as I will not respond. I will just do it myself.

As for my children, they expect me to fight this. They have been cheated and humiliated and they want justice oh, and the DET are not the only ones who have spend money but the key is that we should have a right to this information. They shouldn't be allowed to keep secrets and withhold information as that allows for corruption.

People Against Live exports my children do not have a 'chip on their shoulder' nor are they sitting at home worrying about this except in the context that two of them are doing their HSC and they are worried about their marks because for the past 8 years there has been constant evidence of marking down and manipulation and the DET will not protect them.

I have tried to find the information in the DET annual reports and all over the place and it doesn't exist. I just cannot see how they can keep this information secret. What is to stop them from having an agreement with ACER where they pay them top dollar and then pass money under the table. The amount spent on identification of these students should not be more than the amount spent helping disadvantaged and disabled kids.

Oh and Bronwyn remember selective schools are not for gifted children, they are for students who can get the highest test marks, there is a difference. Often gifted children are struggling to have their needs met in the comprehensive system and if they do not have parents who can afford coaching then they will struggle to win a place in this competition as they have to compete against coached and Private school kids.

People like you, Jolanda, are why the best people that COULD teach choose not to.

Your kids will get a rude awakening when they hit the real world. You are not owed anything by anyone. Neither are your kids. Life can be unfair, or seemingly unjust, teach your kids to work hard and move on.

Wow so a good teacher wouldn't want a parent to be involved in their children's education? A good teacher wouldn't expect a parent to bring up issues in relation to the treatment of their children and to complain if there were serious issues exposed.

What are you trying to tell me, that a good teacher would want a parent to tell their children to accept being neglected, bullied and treated unfairly. Go figure?

Jolanda

Well if your kids are not worried then why are you.

Surley the last thing they need at a time they are studying for their finals is more stress with mum still chewing the cud.

I thought you MAY find the advise given where to search helpful- but as usual -no thanks.




You have told us many times how effected these kids were- now according to you they are over it.

I hope so Jolanda but somethng tells me as soon as these kids leave school they will leave home too.

People have kids with cancer or who are deaf, blind etc.
For goodness sake think of something to do for others.

Teach your kids how lucky they are to be in Australia.

I think we are all over you Jolanda TBO

Jolanda,

You sound like a broken record.

You keep on starting threads on the same
topic re-hashed under different guises.
This time its under, "Freedom of Information."

Seeing as you don't take any of the advice
that posters have given you in the past -
myself included,
take Bronwyn's and Belly's very sound
advice - and move on.

Please.

Halo *Jolanda*

Poor darling. :-)

Of course, if yr claims are without "merit" or "vexatious" then it would be understandable that people may move on without comment, but not to brow beat or seek to oppress U.

Find a good on-line law dictionary within Australia and look up for a start "merit" and "vexatious."

If I were U I wld ignore the departments arguments. Just a waste of time at this stage. What is important is whether u have a "legal right" pursuant to NSW FOI legislation, assuming this is a state and not a federal matter and u r indeed in NSW. There are differences between the states and Federal FOI law.

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/adt/ll_adt.nsf/pages/adt_general_division#GD1

Therefore, follow the links that I quickly found to the FOI legislation and read it. Follow it thru step by step and cross reference what it is that u are actually asking for in relation to same. Also, make sure that u read the the Act as it was when u 1st applied for FOI. U will need to check the dates.

Mayhaps u seek information that is held by a guvment dept which is not a department excluded from the power of the FOI Act in question.

Take a look also at the State Attourney's web site. If like in WA and at a federal level, it will contain all the links u need plus more.

If u haven't already invoked the tribunal, I would suggest writing to the state ombudsman. They will make short work of belligerents and also help u by drawing yr attention to that which is relevant.

There is a culture of people in this country who predate upon the ignorance of others for their own financial and political advantage.

The GREENS also have lots of information on alleged grubby politicians and their dirty political deals with equally grubby private schooling interests.

;-)

...Adam...

Dream on it has already been established that my claims are not vexatious as I have a letter from the DET that clearly states that I have not been deemed vexatious by the DET or the Minister. My claims have merit.

We do have a legal right to documents under FOI in NSW but I am not sure exactly how much it covers and often it is also in an area where in essence precedents can be set. I can get the contracts from ACER but they do not want to show how much money is involved and of course they do not want to produce the audit. I know that they are required to produce Policy Documents and the like.

I have been researching and I understand about tenders but I just thought I might be lucky and somebody had some direct knowledge about these issues.

The Ombudsman is a joke, we have dealt with him before. He is just another level of cover up. He rubber stamps cover ups. Thanks again for your links and for your direction. I am starting my submissions so I will follow those links and see what I can find.

Hmmm .. yr welcome I think, but may I suggest something to U?

B4 I do, of course, within legal limits u r free to conduct yrself howsoever u so choose b4 falling afoul of the law as it is currently,

BUT

being emotional is not going to help u and will inevitabley only weaken u emotionally in the inverse manner as some of the attacks made upon u in this thread.

Be calm about it and realise that the law is as it is. Very often, imperfect and far from the ideals of more than 1 of us. Understand that? Yr not dealing with Cosmic perfection. The likes of the Ombudsman can only do as much as the law permits them, within their "jurisdiction." Another legal word worth looking up.

It may b, that the law itself is flawed, in which case, I would suggest, exhaust all the processes that u r able to and then use that knowledge to lobby.

Re specifics, all u have told us in this thread is that u seek an audit report from a department and thats it. I imagine it would be difficult even in the instance of a specialist in the area to comment with such limited information.

I assumed that u r in NSW as it is the 1st "hit" that came up in the search engine.

There are rules under all FOI legislation to deny the release of certain types of information. Say in the instance of revealing information about a vulnerable victim of crime to someone who may seek to abuse same.

Try to see the following things seperately.
1. The imperfect relevant law as it is &
2. The arguable right of all citizens to have access to the type of information that u seek as a matter founded on the principals of good governance, transparency, healthy democracy etc

All u will get thru judicial review is access to #1. A quick read of the act may save u a lot of time or alternatively give rational clarity to yr claim and a renewed sense of purpose.

Dreamon is quite right. You have to stay unemotional and just stick with the law. I am not getting into your personal case as I don't know you well enough to comment. Dreamon is also correct when he/she states the system is not perfect and each government body involved in FOI or government complaint mechanisms are restricted by jurisdiction and by law cannot help. Even the Ombudsman has limited powers and can only stay within legislated guidelines.

I googled "FOI Guidelines" and "NSW FOI Guidelines" and found these:

http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/about_the_department/freedom_of_information
http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/about_the_department/freedom_of_information/guidelines_for_using_foi_in_nsw
http://www.pmc.gov.au/foi/legislation.cfm
http://www.pmc.gov.au/foi/guidelines.cfm

The best attack is to look at the best possible reasons for releasing information to you under the law.

You have to make an argument for issues like 'Public Interest' and the fact that someone is holding personal information about you or your family.

The NSW site talks about exemptions under the law. Instead of asking how much ACER is getting paid (through their contract) ask how much DET spends each year running the academic competition.

I would imagine taxpayers have a public interest to know where their taxpayer money is being spent but if it is intricate details of a tender contract I would imagine that Commercial-in-Confidence would come into play.

Why not consult an FOI expert in the legal aid area to assist? Or if not eligible, pay a small amount for an hour of a lawyer's time to come up with best approach and work out best/worst case scenarious etc.

Firstly I would just like to say that although I am passionate about this cause, I am no longer emotional about it except to say that it does make me angry and I worry for my kids and for all kids. I realized a long time ago that the law is an ass and criminals and those who do wrong are the ones who are supported and protected. It took me a while to accept it as I wanted to believe in good and the law but I have gotten over it now. I do not take things personally.

Pelican. Good idea to put to the DET that I do not want the tender details, they can take that out of the contract. I will ask in its place how much the DET spends each year running the academic competition for Opportunity Class and Selective Schools? At the end of the day what I really want is to know how much they spend on this process.

Dreamon - an audit was done on the Selective Schools Unit a over a year ago and 32 recommendations were made. I want to get access to that audit see what the recommendations were made and to check to see if they are being followed as there are serious issues that I have identified and I want to know whether the audit picked them up and the recommendations are being adhered to. They say that if they make audits open to the public then staff will try to paint a glossy picture and not tell the truth. I say that regardless whether they make the audits public or not staff are likely to paint a pretty picture and that open and transparancy is what we should be aiming for in Government Departments.

I am so sick of Government employees running our public services to the ground. Oh and Pelican I tried a Solicitor, they are a farce, they cost a fortune, do nothing and they just take your money. Wouldn’t spend another cent on them in an FOI matter.

Thanks for your help.

"Wow so a good teacher wouldn't want a parent to be involved in their children's education?"

Posted by Jolanda, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 4:37:07 PM

Be involved in your kids education at home.

My father was a teacher for 36 years. Whinging mothers with personal agendas constantly complaining and carrying on like psycho's are what caused him to have a breakdown. He never recovered. Thanks to people LIKE you.

BE involved in your kids education. If only all kids had someone at home nurturing their education, but leave the teachers at school alone, is all I'm saying.

You may not have 'gone' a teacher Re: this issue, but I bet you would, like a Pitbull.

DreamOn may I ask that you do some research?
Jolanda has been part of this forum and others for a long time.
Read her post history.
Then see that those giving her advice here once supported her.
ST G has a very good point teachers have enough to be concerned about.

Belly telling somebody to accept being treated like rubbish and telling them to let the matter go when they have been systematically victimised and discriminated against year after year isn't supporting them.

"Belly telling somebody to accept being treated like rubbish and telling them to let the matter go when they have been systematically victimised and discriminated against year after year isn't supporting them."

Posted by Jolanda, Wednesday, 22 October 2008 4:04:02 PM

Yeah, and all these kids being raped, tortured, abused, prostituted for their parents drugs are worthy of screaming attention. I will donate if I thought that money would help a child in desperate need. I haven't seen anything that I would consider as proof of this 'major injustice' on your kids who quite obviously have a mother who cares and seemingly are very intelligent themselves.

It's all about perspective, Jolanda. You will survive. Your kids will survive. Teaching your kids to lay on the ground and throw the biggest tanty if they don't get what they think they are owed is wrong.

No, you're right, I don't have much sympathy because at work I see kids sucking on bottles of WD40 and spray paint all the time. THAT is my perspective.

Jolanda,
I must say that I agree with posters such as Bronwyn and PALE. Sometimes it's just best to move beyond disappointments and make the best of what you have.
Then again, I'm not you.

Anyway, although this is about NSW, I wonder if you have seen this article which may provide some hope, because if the NSW dept regards it important that parents are provided with test results then other state dept may be willing to be more lenient about providing results, too.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/selective-schools-offers-come-with-a-benchmark/2008/07/04/1214951042635.html

"PRIMARY school students seeking entry to selective high schools will now receive details of their mark and how it compares to others around the state along with their notice of acceptance"

"Until now, students received only official notice of either an offer or rejection. Parents who took the initiative could seek out their children's results in the test.

From this year, all parents will be notified of their child's score alongside the top mark"

"For the first time this year, the outcome advice of the selective high school placement test provides parents with the profile score achieved by the student."

STG there are many children who are neglected and who are treated unfairly. Often their cries for help and/or their parents/guardians cries for help are ignored because of a process the system has set up to cover up complaints against Government Departments and even adults.

My children might not have been sexually or physically abused but they were bullied and psychologically abused and purposely educationally neglected. I do not think that one should have to achieve such lows as you present in order to get justice, sympathy and protection.

All complaints that involve the welfare, wellbeing and protection of children should be investigated by indepedant and impartial persons so as to ensure that children are protected.

Thanks Celivia for your link. I haven't had a problem getting an actual test mark from the DET, what I have had trouble is getting the details from the company who marks the tests and actually being able to verify the marks with original documents as the DET destroyed the originals and the company who marks the test will not give me direct access to the information in their possession. We have evidence of manipulation in documents and tampering of marks produced under FOI involving a number of my children for different years and we know for a fact that the DET can alter or change the marks before they import them into their computer just by entering a password. That state of affairs needs to be changed.

I would support Belly's remark that anyone who has not done so should refrain from commenting until they have read through Jolanda's comment history and see the frequency with which she starts threads such as this.

Perhaps they should also read through her website and evaluate the so-called evidence.

Or perhaps google her name and see how many times she has been offered the same well-meaning advice by people such as DreamOn.

jolanda, you have a right to ask. well, a privilege, actually. they could take it away from you, so it's a privilege. and you have asked.

you don't have a right to an answer. nor even a privilege. citizens have rights, in a democracy, but you're a subject, in a monarchy.

at a guess, you'd vote against the establishment of a 'democratic republic of australia',as most ozzies would, poor souls. well, if you let your self be ruled by bureaucrats and politicians, this is the down-side. could be worse, in china they wouldn't answer you.

What Kassie said. There's a pattern.

Jolanda posts another version of the same post as all the others and a few respond sympathetically. Regulars know better. Jolanda responds to regulars with outrage and to new sympathisers with circular reasoning as to why their suggestions won't work. A few weeks later another Jolanda-the-victim post appears and the pattern repeats. It's like watching the same episode of a serial drama over and over.

Still, if there's nothing else on...

There is a risk sometimes of being too vocal about an issue which may cause the eyes to glaze over with retorts of 'here we go again'.

This does not mean that the complainant is wrong or right, merely that the repetitive airing of an issue may cause it to lose its 'legitimacy'.

Naturally in cases like these there is a tendency to let strong passions and a sense of justice override all other considerations. I know personally from being involved in another quite different whistleblowing incident that one can, if not careful, become a bit self-obsessed and emotional about a perceived injustice.

This does not mean that Jolanda is incorrect or correct in her assessment of DET and her pursuit of 'justice' as she perceives it.

Nor does it mean that it might be better for her and her family to let bygones be bygones. Children do need to learn that sometimes you don't win and that justice has many faces; and that all relevant parties might claim righteousness for various reasons.

Above all, Jolanda certainly has the right to expect open and transparent dealings with DET. It may come as a surprise, but the government and bureaucrats are not always right and they do not always act with the public's best interest. Particularly if mistakes have been made there is a tendency to cover them up rather than to disclose.

Jolanda (as I see it) is merely asking for assistance in drafting an FOI submission. In fairness, we should probably give her the benefit of the doubt.

Fair enough on the face of it pelican, but in real life, by the time most of us reach adulthood we've realised that dealing with "the system" through the front door achieves squat. Unless you count providing employment for bureaucrats as an achievement.

Random thoughts here, but there are alternative options for the education of gifted kids other than selective schools. The last time I was paying attention, selective schools do have some leeway, so approaching them directly is a possible option. State tests are not the be all and end all of assessment. Lots of schools, public and private, have streaming programmes which can achieve the same ends. These kids will not be at school forever, and if they're as bright as we've been told they are, their universities will be more salient to their life trajectories than their schools. By the time any red tape has been circumnavigated, they will have left school anyway.

Sure, "the system" is user unfriendly. But if your first priority is your kids do you stuff around challenging the system, or do you do whatever it takes to get your kids what they need?

I just finished watching the movie 'We're here to help' which was based on the book 'Be very afraid' written by David Henderson.

For those who saw it, this has to be the worst end of bureacracy - a small-time bureacrat with his nose out of joint with a little bit of power run amok to create a huge snowball effect of injustice and persecution.

chainsmoker, I understand what you are saying. I am one of the bureacrats and know only too well the faults in the system. As well as the bad there are the positive things that I have seen achieved for members of the public over the years.

But there is a problem in confronting the 'system' as you say. Sometimes the best way is to get down dirty and get political or get the media involved. It is the only way to fight a system that is inherently unwieldy, undemocratic and sometimes officious and secretive in nature.

The media loves a good story Jolanda - I would recommend going down that path. Unlike public servants you are not constrained by any code of silence under the Crimes Act or security assessment. If you have the necessary proof, letters and other documentation it might be the only way to go if this fight has gone on for a lengthy period of time.

Thanks you Pelican and Chainsmoker for your replies.

I guess what I need to say first is that I have never stopped trying to find a good environment for my children. At the same time I have fought this fight. It is just that we have four children, one with a physical disability and the public school system only has to accept you in your local Zoned school. Once you have had issues there, and if you get a black mark against your name, no school will take you. We couldn't get our kids in out of area schools even with requests for special consideration because of extenuating circumstances and even on compassionate grounds. The stress it creates as parents is huge. It isn’t easy to tell your kids that nobody wants to protect them, help them or support them, especially when they are kids who are really sensitive and good and they do not have a school to go to.

We couldn't afford to put them all in Private schools in the early days and when the eldest two were at school, we had just started a small business, we had a mortgage, babies/toddlers and we had all the expenses for the under 5's, we also had a child who had an injury at birth and who needed alot of treatment. If we had the MONEY to assist our children we would not have had to continue to try to get access to appropriate schools in the public system. We would have just left. Homeschooling in those days was not an option.

I have tried the media, they are not interested. Everybody thinks the media likes a good story but a story like this they do not care about. I was told many times that they were not focusing on stories of this nature. It seems that there needs to be sex, or drugs, or violence for the media to be interested.

The thing is that when the media doesn’t get involved people think that you do not have a case. When the Ombudsman decides to use his discretion and not investigate people think that you do not have a case. When the Department closes the matter people think that you do not have a case. People do not realize that nobody independent has actually investigated the evidence in ‘your case’.

People talk about mistakes, I work in administration and I know that I can make mistakes. People are human. But there are honest and dishonest mistakes. The system does not seem to ever want to differentiate. How many mistakes is one person allowed to make in relation to one family’s children before questions are required to be asked? IF there was no malice and they were just mistakes and these mistakes are excessive and repeated in nature then surely the ability and competence of this person to lead a Government Department and earn probably $300,000 a year has to be challenged.

I am just doing what I can afford to do and what I can do to make them answer and be held accountable. It is a form of therapy to speak out, otherwise for sure I would go mad as it isn’t easy to be treated like this and not react. A long time ago I realized that I would not get much external support and that is fine. What did shock me was that amount of hostility that I got. I realize that nobody is obligated to assist my family or support my family to fight this battle. I believe and my children and husband believe that these types of fights must be fought for as long as possible so that the next time one of these public servants decides to manipulate, bully, discriminate and hurt that they might think that this person might be another type like 'Challita' and that they will not just accept being treated like dirt and say and do nothing.

Thanks again for those offering direction and support.

Jolanda

I dont have much time to post these days but I saw your thread - again and my blood boiled.

I am one of the many people who gave up my time to help you. Originally I have offered some time at the office to do animal welfare. However the people there said they wanted to help a lady so I thought sure ok why not.

You seem to take pleasure in being the center of attention or something.

All the advise given to you was ignored. If I recall you knocked a offer to meet with A QLD lawyer who had also spent several hours reading your material. Then you posted on another forum site that nobody had ever offered to help you.

I know this because I was there when the call was placed to you.

I also know your own legal team screamed and shouted at you to get out of his office.

I am not posting to you now to waiste my time.

I think there is a very serious issue here- Your kids.

Why on earth the department have not seen the same is beyond me.
These children of yours do need help jusdt not the type you are asking for.

I have kids and one can only begin to feel the awful feling they must have in the pit of their little tummys around examine time and when they have to show mum their reports.

Jolanda even if you have reason to complain all those years ago its time to let the kids forget it.

I honestlty think your in need of treatment and the Government need to kick for ignoring it so long.

Taryn. I know why you are posting your post. There appears to be no other reason except to discredit me. I don't know why you waste your time. Your version of events and mine is completely different and guess what I am the one living it.

You will recall that I didn't receive the emails that you said that were sent and nobody rang me in relation to it. Had I had received them or had been contacted I would have replied. I have all this confirmed in writing/emails. After all that misunderstanding/mess I did thank you for offering for a Solictor to maybe be able to see us during lunch time during another hearing when the Solicitor was in Sydney but I didn't want to bother you and I thanked you and advised you that I had already instructed solicitors, so why do you spend your time replying and trying to discredit me and then complaining about replying to me? When I said nobody would help me I wasn't speaking about what you present, we were talking about fellow parents and the system. No Solicitor has ever screamed at me to 'leave his office' as you say. Your determination to defame me is truly bizzare and I have to wonder why you feel such need?

If you cannot actually help me with the questions that I present, not just give me your advice on what you think that we should do, then please go and save the animals or something as they seem to be more important to you than humans.

To be continued.

Oh and as for my children, it is the actions and/or lack of action by the DET that concerns them. NOt what I do. Yes they worry about tests but not because of what I might say as they have exceeded my wildest expectations from the day they were born, but they worry because for years and years they have experienced bias, manipulation and tampering with regard to their test scores and the Department have refused to protect them. What I do gives them strength as they are the type who stand up to bullies. They refuse to be victims.

As for this thread. I have completed my FOI submissions. Thank you very much to all of you who helped. It did give me direction to present the case. I really appreciate it.

Taryn was working in our office at the time we tried to assist you. She spent two days typing the background to the lawyer that offered to meet with you.

I think she has every right to comment. That was two days of HER time.
Your selfish Jolanda and I know you have been dishonest because you said nobody had ever offered to help you on another forum.
A retired school teacher was on that forum.
I even gave you the benefit by forwarding you a copy minus the name.
You problem IS its YOU who must be the centre of attention. You see them everday loosing their babies or presenting to hospital with yet again another accident etc...

I DO worry for your kids and I thinks its a criminal they havent had you mentally checked = or your poor kids.

I think your a very clever but very sick lady seeking attention anywhere you can get it.
Thats sad

Say whatever you like PALE but the fact remains that I never got those emails about a meeting date and time and nobody actually rang me about it when I didn't respond to the emails that I didn't receive. They are the facts. That you are intent on wanting to discredit me so long afterwards is not my problem although I cant help but wonder why?

I am an honest and kind person and I am always be grateful for help, you say I got offered something but I didn't get the emails that were said were sent with the information and instead I got a very defaming post posted on Senator Bartletts public blog posted about me. Instead of contacting me! Had I received the emails I would have replied and anybody who actually knows me would vouch for that. I am a woman of my word and straight down the line, I call a spade a spade and I am by nature honest. So why do you keep coming on here for the sole purpose of discrediting me?

Oh and I did go to see a psychologist for the sake of people like you who want to present me as crazy and also took the kids and guess what, she didn't need to see me again and she said that I was a very couragous woman and a good mother and that my children were lucky to have a mother like me.

So why do you insist on wanting to hurt me and my family. Do you not realise that you hurt my children when you attack me? Or do you just not care?

Jolanda

Whatever but its was MYSELF!! who contacted you by phone and told you our lawyer could meet with you either at his motel room or at the airport between flights,.
You said that wasnt long enough to discuss your matter as he knew nothing about it.
I then explained to you it was long enough and that he would only be discussing points of law which in most cases was pretty standard.
As for Andrews web site where I first heard of your problem i agree you didnt get much support from a so called Senator.
Which is why I thought gee thats a bit rough a senator ignoring you when you clearly were asking legal questions that he should have and could have in my opinion assist you with.

I have no interest of hurting you or your kids Jolanda.
I am not that type of person.
We only ever wanted to help- whatever.


.

People against Live Exports it is obvious that you and I have a completely different take on what happened but one thing for sure I didn't deserve what you said in public about me. If for whatever reason we did misunderstand each other, to then publicly present me as being ungrateful, not wanting help and being a risk of harm to my children is really mean.

Anyway have you had a look at my blog lately? I just got some documents that the DET have avoided giving me for years, and guess what, it confirms what I say and that the DET is lying, again and again. I have started uploading the documents.

What I wonder is how many discrepancies, errors, ommissions, deletions, evidence of bias and misconduct is there 'ALLOWED' to be in regards to one family and when it is considered enough to warrant looking into so as to protect the children?

It amazes me that this person at hte Selective SChools Unit can do so much and nobody turns her in.

One error can be seen as a mistake, two as a co-incidence but when it is substantially more than that, then I am sorry it is bias, misconduct and corruption.

Education - Keeping them Honest
Our Children Deserve better
http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/

Jolanda

I am most certainly not confused about the fact it was myself who contacted you by phone to invite you to meet up with the lawyer.
I will take a look at your docs when I have a moment.
Now I notice you have a new thread. Jolanda what you seem not to understand is we all know the Government use FOI for all sorts of things.
We all know that. You seem like you have just discovered it.
Your very naive imop at times.
If I get the time I will probably be of more help to you on the other thread by posting docs that confirm yes indeed the government does lie.

I feel if you just discussed THIS and NOT YOUR CHILDEN ALL THE TIME YOU WOULD GET A LOT MORE POSTERS ON YOUR SITE.

However of course thats up to you. Sorry about the capitals I am not shouting at you- just typo problem.

I know people know that the Government is corrupt PALE and that I am not the only one. I am not stupid. I am exposing what I have found as if nobody speaks up then nothing ever gets done. Do you really think that people are going to read my site if I do not comment on what has been done? I realised a long time ago that people do not care about my children, I have accepted that. But I care, I care alot and I will fight with all my might for my children's to be treated fairly and without bias and discrimination and for Justice. This person at the SSU is running the place and she is corrupt.

If the DET does not investigate these allegations and do the right thing then it is up to me to expose them in any way that I can. It is as easy as that. They leave me no other choice. I have been asking them for years to do the right thing so as to protect the children as the evidence is pretty damning but still they allow this person to continue to handle all matters to do with my children and family and everybody covers up.

The Government and those who turn a blind eye are just as guilty as the person who is inflicting harm on my children as they know and they do and say nothing. It is no wonder child abuse is so rampant in this country.

Purposely neglecting a child's educational needs and marking them down, putting them down, humiliating them and tampering with their school applications and test marks year after year so that they are defamed, denied education and denied opportunties is a serious offence and it is crueal and mean. It is bullying of the worst kind and the code of silence that is so widespread protects those who fail in their duty of care.