Media Release
21 December, 2009
Carers Alliance is a federal political party formed to promote a better life for and advance
the full inclusion of people with disabilities and carer-families who support them
No Christmas cheer for Kingsdene Special School students – just continuing prejudices of
the past.
While Ms Gillard recognises the long-running public –v- private education debate has ill-served the
children of Australia, what she does overrides what she says.
“Carers Alliance calls on Ms Gillard to do what she says: “move away from the prejudices of the
past” which have led to the 2010 closure of Kingsdene Special School. Kingsdene’s students with
severe and profound disabilities continue to be victims of the private-v-public debate by the
application of the iniquitous and ludicrous funding formula which has never met the fairness test”
said Mary Lou Carter, party Secretary of the Carers Alliance.
Kingsdene Special School in western Sydney is a small charity-operated boarding school for
students with severe to profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Students participate in a
unique and innovative extended learning program during the week and go home to their families on
Friday nights for weekends and for all school holidays. Yet the government refuses to meet its
responsibility to equitably fund the education of the students at Kingsdene Special School.
“We live in a first-world modern country. In this day and age our children should not be relying on
charity for an education. We are not asking for more, we are asking for the same as other children
with similar disabilities.” said Vanessa Browne whose son Alex attends the school.
“Kingsdene Special School in western Sydney needs $1.2 million additional recurrent funding for
its long-term viability. It will close in 2010 without it. This level of funding is fair and in line with the
funding levels of students with similar high support needs in government schools. In response the
government has offered $350,000 in 2011 and 2012. That’s like offering a man dying of thirst, a
thimbleful of water, but he can’t drink it ‘til after he’s dead. Hardly what you’d call a good faith
offer.” said Ms Carter
“The plight of the children of Kingsdene and their families is symbolic of what happens and what
will happen to the powerless under the Rudd government” said Mary Lou Carter. “Mr Rudd greatly
admires Pastor Dietrich Bonhoffer the young theologian murdered by the Nazis. The children at
Kingsdene Special School represent Bonhoeffer’s test of morality to the Rudd government: what
will it do for its children?”
“Education for all children is government core business assisted by many established
organisations already participating in meeting those educational needs. Anglicare’s Kingsdene
Special School has done that for 33 years, its value for money results are second to none. Like all
Australian children the students at Kingsdene have a right and entitlement to an education which
maximises whatever potential they have under national and international conventions. There is no
doubt that Australia has the resources to provide it. It will shame us as a nation if the small one-of-
a-kind Kingsdene Special School closes because our government will not meet its responsibility to
provide for its most vulnerable and powerless” concluded Ms Carter.
Media Contact: Mary Lou Carter, Party Secretary, Carers Alliance 0425 363 421
NEWS 
