Concerns raised about Carenne's handling of autistic students

After a series of serious child abuse claims at Carenne Special School, fresh concerns have been raised about the treatment and handling of autistic students at the school.

It is claimed up to six staff were involved in restraining the student after he had an autistic episode today. Several staff were injured during the restraining. It is claimed that the staff were quite rough with the student at the time which distressed him further. The student appeared very tired following the altercation with Carenne staff.

The particular incident raises a number of serious concerns about the handling of autistic students at Carenne. If a large number of autistic students are becoming distressed, what is happening at the school to make them distressed? What are they being subjected to? Are staff adequately trained to work with autistic students?

Jasmine Ryan abusive to autistic students says staff

Carenne Special School staff and parents report disgusting abuse by a teacher's aide towards a student yesterday afternoon.

It is claimed that Jasmine Ryan, a casual teacher's aide at Carenne violently shook and screamed in an autistic student's face while he was having what is termed a "meltdown", which made his condition worse.

This abuse was carried out in front of a number of staff, none of which intervened.

One Carenne Saviour said:

Why Jasmine did this makes no sense to me, it's just child abuse. Jasmine is pretty poor at managing student behaviour but continues to be one of the school's preferred aides since Terry Neal took over staffing.

Lee Churches: Whistleblower's employment should be blocked, has an "evil plan"

Former member of the group of senior staff at Carenne Special School known as the Klan "Hatho" has provided another damning email send from Lee Churches to a number of staff. "Hatho" claims that Ms Churches will often write emails to one person at Carenne and then forward it on.

The email appears to be a follow on from the email mentioned by nedkelly about Brian Carter wishing to return to work.

In the email, Lee Churches admits to being obsessed about whistleblower Brian Carter and claims he has a hide for wanting to return to Carenne and claims that he has an "evil plan".

I can't get Mr BC out of my mind - and you must be the same - the hide of the man!!!!!Should you seek legal advice as to the implications if you are forced to put his name on a casual list - I just can't imagine what he is thinking because I guess us sane people can't even begin to think how these people think!!!!What has the man got planned next as this is obviously the next step in his evil plan.

Churches then says that Carter's casual number should be blocked, presumably so he can not work.

Does he actually have a casual number - i certainly hope not. if he hasn't can it be blocked at that end or certainly held up or lost in the mail.

The email provides further evidence of the complete and utter contempt Churches holds for whistleblowers and those who stand up for their rights and shows that she would resort to dirty tactics such as losing or blocking someone's casual number to stop them from working.

Bathrust RDA excludes some students

The new facilities of the Bathurst Riding for the Disabled Association complex behind Carenne Special School are so inadequate that they exclude some students who used to access the service according to parents and staff. Carenne staff also claim that RDA has lost many valuable volunteers because they are fed up with a committee member and Carenne aide being paid to work there.

One parent told Carenne Gate bloggers -

I have been to the old site and the new site and the new site is completely inadequate. It's just like something Carenne are involved in, looks good but doesn't work. There is no starting platform or anything which means some students who are difficult to get on or off the horses are being left out.

Another parent said -
My child used to always go to RDA and they loved it. They are being told they can't go now because there is no way for them to safely take part. What is the difference between the old site and the new site?

A former RDA volunteer told us -

I'm not working there for nothing anymore, it's so unfair that Melinda Gavin can be on the committee and get paid by Carenne or whoever to work there and then walk around as if she owns the place. They expect more and more from you and for what, to be sneered at by someone who is getting paid to be there, No way! They screwed Mike for his sons getting paid to pull down some stuff there but they pay her week in week out, its just wrong. They treat you like s***. The new facilities are s***, the waiting room is a big problem, there is poor seating and they won't put blinds up so the sun really hurts the kid's eyes. When I approached Michael about getting some he told me there wasn't the money to buy them and if I wanted them to get them myself! How rude is that!

A Carenne employee told bloggers -

RDA is just another example of one of Michael Auld's stuff ups. He lobbied for it to be put behind Carenne and he is the one who has fought for Melinda Gavin to work there. That has really annoyed some of the volunteers who just decided to walk away, especially after Mike Biddle being thrown off the committee for receiving payment for work he did. Melinda is on the committee, why does she get paid to work over there?

"hatho" reports -

RDA has just turned into something else Carenne has tried to take over and made a mess of. It's really just an extension of Carenne now, you can't tell the difference between the two. They received government grants and donations to build that site but they have kept it quiet that they messed it up. Just like the new classrooms Michael Auld pushed for and the bus shed he had designed that the buses can't even get in! When students who used to go can't anymore it shows there is something wrong.

It has been claimed that a Carenne Support therapist is being paid to work at RDA as well as Jasmine Ryan, an aide at Carenne.

With at least part of the funding being given to the organisation coming from government, we must ask just why was this allowed to be so poorly planned. Where has the siphoned part of the $3.7 million trade training centre funding gone?

Lee Churches implicated in FOI suppression at Carenne

It has been reported by "nedkelly" and "hatho" that Lyn Duncan was not the only person at Carenne involved in suppressing information requested under state Freedom of Information laws and that Lee Churches was heavily involved in the cover-up.

Last night, nedkelly posted the following comment on this blog -

4.6.09 Lee sends the following email to a long list of people: "Oh my god - I cannot believe the hide of the man!!!!Does he really think we could work with him after all
those complaints against staff and with a law suit pending -AS IF"

Following this, both nedkelly and hatho sent further information about Ms Churches, Mr Auld and education director Peter Harvey being involved in the cover-up. They claim Churches was the first to raise the possibility of people obtaining documents from Carenne under Freedom of Information after it was discussed at a staff meeting early on into 2009. Following this it is claimed that Lee Churches, Lyn Duncan, Peter Harvey and Michael Auld devised a plan to use pseudonyms and vague references to people who may be the subject of FOI requests. If Churches found out staff were using people's real names in documents she would remind them that it could be obtained under FOI and not to to it again.

nedkelly claims -

Michael told us all that if we used psuedonyms in emails that the person wouldn't be able to do a Freedom of Information request because the department would just search for that person's name on their end. If they can't search the name they can't get the person's information.

hatho claims -

Lyn got the blame for it all but Lee was really key to the FOI cover-up. Peter Harvey and Michael Auld came up with the whole idea of using initials and vague references to avoid FOI laws. Michael was concerned that complaints made could be released to journalists under FOI.

Lee was the standover man. If her or Lyn found out someone hadn't been using the names then Lee would go and harass them.

Lee was the one who refused to comply with FOI requests and didn't release documents where she had made a number of defamatory statements and documents where she had even gone so far as to threaten Mr Carter. Jake Rosenberg had made a complaint about this to Peter Harvey which I confirmed was true but nothing came of it.

For some reason unknown, staff at Carenne Special School continue to break the rules and keep getting away with it.

Three senior Carenne Special School staff charged and mentioned in court

Today, three senior staff of Carenne Special School - Neil Moon (Principal), Lee Churches (Assistant Principal) and Terry Neal (Assistant Principal) had criminal charges mentioned before the Bathurst Local Court. A Carenne Gate reporter was on hand as the matter was mentioned.

The trio are charged with taking detrimental action against a whistleblower under whistleblower protection legislation and were bought to court by a private prosecutor, Nathan Carter. Mr Carter's solicitor Tim Cain told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has been approached to take over the prosecutions.

The three defendants, none of which appeared in court were represented by Shane Cunningham. Mr Cunningham told the court that they have applied for representation by the Crown Solicitor's Office.

Magistrate Jan Stevenson told the court that she had never heard a matter like this before and was unsure on whether the local court is the correct jurisdiction for it. Magistrate Stevenson said as some matters were referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption there may be issues as the local court can not see documents from the commission.

The matter has been adjourned until 10 May 2010.

Photograph: Terry Neal (top), Lee Churches (centre) and Neil Moon (bottom). Used under fair use guidelines.

Carenne Support job application confidentiality breached

The position advertised for a bus driver/supervisor at Carenne Support has caused controversy since it was first placed in the Western Advocate almost two weeks ago. Many have written to me personally claiming that the position is an attempt to push out current bus driver Jenny O'Neill.

This morning, a poster claimed to have seen Mrs O'Neill's job application and said:

So much for having parent support! I've seen your application and the references, how come there was one missing?

A further comment states that a parent had made a complaint about Mrs O'Neill contacting them for a reference, indicating that if there was a complaint made there was no regard for that person's confidentiality.

Carenne whistleblower Hatho claims that a number of people involved in Carenne were contacted when the job application was received and told that Mrs O'Neill had put in an application. Hatho says that Mary Housler told her:

That fucking bitch has had the hide to contact parents to get references off them but there is one missing, maybe they will make a complaint so we can fuck her off. Who does the bitch think she is?

Hatho says that she is doubtful that any complaint was made about Mrs O'Neill and it is just a tactic being used by Carenne Support to try and force her into going quietly.

The leak of information about a candidate's application shows that staff of Carenne Support will use confidential information in the public sphere for its own advantage.

Carenne Support director's criminal charge mentioned in court

On Monday, charges against Carenne Support director Geoffrey John Salmon, 55 were mentioned before the Bathurst Local Court. Salmon was represented by his solicitor who told the court he was waiting to hear back from the prosecutor about representations made about the charges.

Salmon is charged with enter vehicle unlawfully and obstructing traffic after an alleged incident involving a protest in Bathurst in December against Carenne Special School, Carenne Support and the NSW government.

The matter is listed next for mention on 27 May 2010.

Gail Vasic wouldn't investigate claims made about Carenne Support because they happened while Terry Mahony was principal

After receiving a complaint via the department's Employee Performance and Conduct directorate, Gail Vasic (Manager of the Special Transport Unit) conducted investigations into a number of claims made by Carenne whistleblower Brian Carter, she however limited these investigations to what happened in 2009 not what happened during the time frame in which Mr Carter complained about.

In the letter, Ms Vasic claims:

As you are aware Terry Mahoney is no longer the principal of Carenne School therefore I have restricted my response to the current operation of the School Student Special Transport Scheme as it applies to Carenne Support Limited.

This claim indicates that the department had no interest in investigating allegations made about Carenne Support's activities prior to 2009 as Mr Mahony was no longer principal of Carenne Special School. Despite this, Mr Mahony remained a director of Carenne Support and was still an employee of the department (who was on long service leave) when the complaints were raised.

When these complaints involve defrauding the government, breaching child protection guidelines and the roadworthiness of vehicles used to transport special needs students they should have been thoroughly investigated.

Mary Housler's claims about whistleblower proven false

Mary Housler, Administrator of one of the organisations central to the Carenne Gate Affair - Carenne Support Limited has been proven to be incorrect about claims that all the trouble and complaints appear to have started when Brian Carter was dismissed at the end of 2008. With the release of a letter from Gail Vasic, Manager of Special Transport it is proven that Mr Carter first made a complaint to the department in August 2007.

Mrs Housler commented on this blog on 26 January 2010 and said:

All the so called "trouble" and complaints appear to have started when your "whistle blower", no doubt Brian Carter, was dismissed from employment for breaching the employment guidelines.

It appears his full time job now is thinking up more stories and wild accusations against anyone involved or associated with Carenne School.... no doubt I will be next.

According to hatho and savecarenne, Mrs Housler is claiming she did not make the comment and is being "set-up", to clear any confusion about this the IP address that the comment was posted from was 121.216.225.236. An email provided by savecarenne proves this IP address was the address of Mrs Housler on that date.

Based on this letter from Mrs Vasic, Mrs Housler has been proven to be a liar, a bully and someone who holds whistleblowers in complete contempt.

Omerta strikes again

Once again the Carenne Gate blog has been attacked by "omerta" using a dial-up Internet account traceable to Bathurst. As always it was an amateurish attack performed to supress the truth.

Gail Vasic leaked complaint to hacker

Following a series of damaging claims, 'hatho' alleges that Gail Vasic, the woman responsible for the administration of the Special Needs Transport Service leaked an email complaining about an operator to a hacker by the name of "Nick" that Christine Porter and Lynette Duncan hoped could hack the email of Carenne whistleblower "Jake Rosenberg".

Hatho claims that Mrs Duncan contacted Mrs Vasic and asked her for an email as she had a friend of a friend who would be able to trace it. This friend of a friend was Christine Porter's friend known only to Carenne insiders as Nick the hacker. Hatho claims that the leaked email contained sensitive information about a student and operator which Mrs Vasic and Mrs Duncan provided to Mrs Porter for release to the hacker without regard to confidentiality.

Hatho claims that as soon as she became aware of the plans to hack Jake Rosenberg's email she informed her

As soon as I knew what Christine and Lynn had planned I told Rosenberg for her own protection, I believe Rosenberg created a new email elsewhere then.

Hatho claims that at the same time, Simone Russell had hired a private investigator to track who was making complaints about the school.

The Department of Education and Training must immediately stand down those involved pending a full and proper investigation.

Terry Neal labels Carenne staff as gossipers

In an email between Terry Neal and Peter Harvey discussing Prue Luffman's situation, Terry Neal has admitted to telling Mrs Luffman that female Carenne staff are gossipers.

In the email, Mr Neal says -

I also told her that she was working in an environment with significant female colleagues and that may at times, lead to other females noticing what may, or may not, be happening and the potential to spread gossip.

The conversation came about when Mrs Luffman approached Mr Neal about a female Carenne staff member (believed to be Margaret Rowe, but not named in the email) at a local hotel who accused her of inappropriate behaviour around another staff member. Mrs Luffman didn't tell Mr Neal who the person was and Mr Neal provided advice on dealing with the matter.

During Mrs Luffman's employment at Carenne she was subject to a complaint by the teacher of her class Nadine Dwyer, according to the email.

The email also mentions the employment arrangement between Carenne and Mrs Luffman during 2009. Mrs Luffman has claimed that she was promised full-time work past the end of the year, yet according to Mr Neal he told Mrs Luffman and the class teacher Mrs Dwyer that the class was temporary and may or may not be extended at the end of the year.

Hatho claims that Mr Neal is lying about this as it was Lyn Duncan who gave Mrs Luffman and Mrs Dwyer the jobs and she overheard a conversation between the trio where Mrs Duncan told them the job was temporary to begin with but would become permanent next year at which time Mrs Duncan and Miss Churches would ensure Luffman and Dwyer got through the merit selection process.

When the class was extended Mr Neal claims that the school executive decided to fill the positions by merit selection. Hatho claims that Mrs Luffman went on stress leave due to marriage difficulties and to get back at Carenne for offering her no further full-time work.

How the NSW DET ridicules and persecutes whistleblowers

Originally posted to Sydney Indymedia on 6 April 2010.

A document leaked by Carenne Public School staff member 'hatho' demonstrates how the Department of Education and Training treats whistleblowers. In the email, school principal Lynette Duncan claims that whistleblower Brian Carter was watching the school. Grant Hatch of the DET media unit replied "... whistle in mouth?" demonstrating the complete and utter contempt staff of the DET have for whistleblowers.

For more stories about how whistleblowers are treated by the NSW government visit wbde.org.

Image (Top Left): Grant Hatch, Bryony Hatch and Lilly Hitch in 2006. (c) Central Western Daily, used under fair use rights.

Who's who of Carenne Support

Here is a list of the Carenne Support board of directors -

Lee Churches (founding director)
Carenne Public School assistant principal

Graeme Grundy (director since 18/5/05)
Works for Reliance Credit Union
President and under 17s coach of the Bathurst Bushrangers AFL club which Ellen Sutton, Simone Russell and Mary Housler's sons play for.

Paul Knight (director since 18/5/05, chairperson of the board)
Commonwealth Bank manager

Darryl Macauley (director since 11/12/09)
Formerly employed by Reliance Credit Union

Terry Mahony (director since 18/5/05)
Carenne Public School principal 2004-2008

Christine Porter (founding director, resigned 24/11/09)
Paid therapy co-ordinator and CEO

Jock Roxborough (founding director, resigned 24/11/09)
Former Carenne School Principal (until 2004)

Geoff Salmon (founding director, company secretary)
Owns own business
Wife formerly employed by the Department of Education and Training
Has a son at Carenne who receives therapy

Carol Smith (director since 9/11/05)
Wife of Stephen Smith
Has children at Carenne who receive therapy

Stephen Smith (director since 9/11/05)
Has children at Carenne who receive therapy
Owns a building business
Did work for the Riding for the Disabled Association (some of which was paid for by Carenne Support)

Christine Porter knew student may require surgery due to negligence months before

On 3 October 2009 I reported that a student required surgery following the negligence of therapists and staff at Carenne Special School/Carenne Support Limited. Following the release of a document by "hatho", it can be proven that Christine Porter, Marion Baker and Lyn Duncan knew of this possibility as early as 29 April 2009.

In an email between Mrs Porter and Mrs Duncan, Mrs Porter pointed out that the student was supposed to be in his walker twice a day and had only been placed in it three times per week by classroom staff. Mrs Porter said that the student's therapy had "slipped significantly" in his new class. She warned Mrs Duncan noted that the student may require corrective surgery if their therapy regime isn't followed. Mrs Porter also claimed that the student had demonstrated a "marked decrease in muscle length and tone."

hatho reported that the email was supposed to be destroyed but she kept a copy of this valuable evidence.

It demonstrates the complete negligence displayed by Carenne Support's therapy leader and Mrs Duncan when they were aware of the issue six months before the student required surgery.

Terry Mahony lied about not knowing about the student going to Lithgow

Repeated claims to the NSW Department of Education and Training and the Bathurst community that Terry Mahony did not know about a student going to Lithgow on a bus return one day per week have been proven complete lies with the release of a document by blog user 'hatho'.

Hatho supports the Carenne Saviour's claims that Brian Carter had taken the student to Lithgow one day per week return at the advice of Ros Luther and Terry Mahony.

Hatho has supplied a copy of a 'Hazard/Incident Report Form' which shows Mr Mahony knew the student was being taken to Lithgow as early as September 2008.

It provides further proof that Carenne Support will lie to suit their own agenda. Carenne Gate bloggers call on an immediate independent investigation into this organisation.

Documentary evidence demonstrates the Carenne pigpen was used as early as May 2007

Documentary evidence provided by 'hatho' shows that as early as May 2007 Carenne Special School established a yard to hold autistic students when they are distressed. Photographic evidence had previously been posted to this site but a number of staff from Carenne commented that the yard was only used for animals.

In a list of incidents for a particular student, it is shown that Carenne thought it was acceptable practice to lock an autistic student in a yard (called the "pig pen") when he was distressed. The list states that the student was placed in the yard until they had settled.

Terry Mahony's carelessness has exposed DET to financial claims

Former Carenne Special School principal and Director of Carenne Support Limited Terry Mahony has exposed the NSW Department of Education and Training to possible claims for unpaid and underpaid wages.

In a document supplied to the NSW DET Legal department, Mr Mahony claims that he is aware that he may have underpaid Brian Carter. In a letter provided by Mr Carter to Carenne Support (and subsequently forwarded to NSW DET Legal) Mr Carter claims he was underpaid over $10,000. On some occasions, Mr Carter was underpaid by as much as $3.38 per hour.
He was also unpaid for time he was required to be stationary in Lithgow according to his letter.

In a statement prepared by Mr Carter's lawyers and provided to the department's Employee Performance and Conduct unit in 2009, Mr Carter warned the department that Mr Mahony's signing of a claim form as principal (for the company he was a director of) could expose the department to liability for unpaid and underpaid wages under the state Industrial Relations Act as it is Carenne Support's primary contractor.

Despite Mr Mahony signing a statement claiming that Carenne Support had properly paid its employees when it had not, Mr Mahony also signed the form as a representative of the department approving payment. The department was aware that Carenne Support had not properly paid its employees. Mr Mahony's signing of a false contractor statement could also be a criminal offence.

It is unacceptable that the carelessness of Carenne Support can expose the state to financial claims. One must ask why Carenne Support retains its contract with the Department of Education and Training when it has caused so much grief for both the school it claims to help and the wider department.

As another example of how Carenne Support treats its workers, employees were owed superannuation from as far back as 2006 which Carenne Support had never paid. An investigation by the Australian Taxation Office in 2009 revealed that Carenne Support owed this superannuation and required it to pay all employees the owed superannuation plus interest.

Carenne Support job advertisement raises questions

The publication of an advertisement in Bathurst's Western Advocate today has raised questions about how Carenne Support runs its organisation.

The advertisement claims that "Carenne Support is an independent company that uses its profits to benefit the students of Carenne Public School." Just what does Carenne Support believe an independent company to be? Would an independent company be so reliant on the Department of Education and Training?

Confusingly, Carenne Support has charitable status with a number of government organisations but has also in the past claimed it is a trading company in its failed bid to deny whistleblower Brian Carter justice. In the judgment in that case, the judge described Carenne Support as:

Carenne was established in 2004 to improve the therapy services for disabled students at Carenne School. Carenne described itself as a limited liability company having benevolent status for fund raising and taxation purposes.

The judge also noted the reasons that Mr and Mrs Salmon started Carenne Support:

Their interest arose from the needs of their son who was assessed early in his life as being developmentally delayed, mentally and physically. Mr Salmon was of the view that the level of support from therapists, particularly speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, was inadequate to meet the needs of young people in the region who had a range of disabilities. There did not appear to be an organisation providing advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged young people and so Mr Salmon took steps to establish an independent charitable organisation that could help provide additional therapy services as well as being an organisation that could represent the interests of this particular group.

Mr Salmon sought funding on the false premise that Carenne Support would provide outreach services to the wider Bathurst area in 2005, taking funding which had been allocated to the Spastic Centre in Orange away from it. This claim appears to be a blatant lie. According to evidence given to the court it was found that:

In February 2006, the Department of Disabilities began allocating funds to Carenne to provide therapy services to fill service gaps that had arisen due to vacant therapy positions in that Department. Since July 2006, Carenne had invoiced the Department for physiotherapy services provided to students attending the Carenne school as well as the student from Bathurst High School.

In five years just one student from outside of Carenne Special School has received therapy from Carenne Support, yet this was the part of the reason they were provided funding by the Department of Disabilities. Mr Salmon said they would provide outreach and it is obvious that they have not.

The structure of the new bus driver/supervisor position also needs to be questioned. Have existing staff been consulted on the change? What effect will this have on existing staff? How can the supervisor supervise themselves? What happens if there is a complaint about the driver, does the driver/supervisor look at it? Why can't their paid CEO Christine Porter look after it, wouldn't it be part of the CEO's role or are they just adding another level of bureaucracy and looking to employ another friend?

As an organisation which has tax exempt and charity status who also receives its income from the government we have a democratic right to question it.

Story removed

Dear Readers,
I have decided to remove Libertarian's article from the blog temporarily until he and I can meet to discuss the potential merits or pitfalls of the article.

Parents appalled at "anti-semitic" newsletter

A number of parents have contacted Carenne Gate bloggers appalled with a photograph of a student holding a Reichskriegsflagge prominently displaying a Swastika in the latest school newsletter. Parents claim the photograph appeared on the page of Kelly Thompson and Angie Cranston's class. Parents say the photograph is anti-semitic, in poor taste and should not have been published in the newsletter.

The newsletter page says that students were learning about World War II with Anzac Day just around the corner but parents aren't impressed.

"I can't believe the poor taste in displaying a student with a Nazi flag with a Swastika on it. Prince Harry got grilled for wearing a Nazi uniform, this is just a disgrace, it is so anti-semitic," said one parent.

"What sort of an idiot would allow this photo to be published in the newsletter, who checks it?" said another parent.

"You might as well fly it on the flag pole at the front of the school, there isn't much difference. What if there is a Jewish parent? How will they feel. These people do not think" said another.

"Just because the school has Nazis in control of it doesn't mean that they need to be parading around a Nazi flag in the newsletter. What an incredible lack of judgment on the principal's part. He ought to be sacked for it."

Another possible Carenne Support bus scam uncovered

Another possible scam involving Carenne Support and its buses which it obtained by deception has been uncovered by Carenne Gate bloggers.

A source told bloggers that she had come across registration papers for the Carenne Support buses which despite earning in excess of $185,000 per year from its bus runs from the Department of Education and Training pays no motor vehicle tax as the usage is claimed to be "For the transport of persons with a disability" (RTA Code HAND).

Under RTA guidelines, only welfare or community transport organisations may apply for HAND vehicle status. The vehicles must be used principally for the transport of people with intellectual or mobility impairment. Vehicles registered to government agencies and private operators are not eligible.

While Carenne Support could argue that their vehicles are used for the transport of intellectual or mobility impaired students, the RTA has told bloggers that they strongly believe that a vehicle used to receive substantial reward would not be granted HAND status.

Carenne Support is however eligible for Charity vehicle registration status which would entitle it to a small motor vehicle tax concession.

It shows yet another possible scam by an organisation which defrauded the Bathurst community to obtain the buses (as the photo shows even the Variety Club thought they were for Carenne School) and has been caught defrauding the NSW Department of Education and Training under its contract.