Naismith refuses to investigate Carenne Support, Neil Moon over medical incident

A medical incident on Carenne Support's Lithgow bus driven by Dave Graham and escorted by Robyn Graham last week highlighted serious issues with how Carenne Support trains its drivers and escorts. The duo were caught completely by surprise when a student had a seizure on the bus last Wednesday, not knowing the correct way to deal with the issue.

According to Barracus, Robyn Graham told her that she didn't know what to do so left the student strapped to the seat while they had a fit. She said she "watched the child turn blue" and called the ambulance, which Dave Graham rushed to meet. Barracus told Carenne Gate this was not the proper way to handle the situation, which came down to Mr and Mrs Graham not being properly trained by Carenne Support.

When the incident was raised with Neil Moon, Barracus was told to keep their mouth shut and act as though it never happened.

Investigations by Carenne Gate can reveal that the principal and school staff are responsible for ensuring that bus staff have proper information and training to deal with such situations and all drivers and escorts should have health care plans detailing what to do in certain situations. According to Barracus and Save Carenne, Neil Moon has never made this information available.

When approached by Save Carenne, Catherine Naismith refused to deal with the complaint, further showing her complete lack of regard for the safety of disabled students being transported under the assisted travel program.

Manager of Assisted School Travel ignores serious complaints

Catherine Naismith, the manager of the department's Assisted School Travel Unit has ignored serious complaints about issues involving the travel program at Carenne Special School. This week, departmental whistleblower Save Carenne informed Naismith of a number of issues involving the program at Carenne to be told:

I also note that you claim to be an employee of the Department which therefore places obligations on you in regard to your employer and how you notify the Department of complaints. I strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with the complaints handling processes of the Department and the Code of Conduct. If you believe that your complaints are of such a nature that the Department ought to take them seriously, then please provide them in the appropriate manner.

If you hold concerns regarding identifying yourself in making a complaint, please familiarise yourself with the Department’s policy Public Interest Disclosures - Internal Reporting Policy

Obviously, Naismith is not aware of the culture that exists within the department in Western NSW from Carole McDiarmid down. Those who complain and speak up routinely face harassment, intimidation and other reprisals. For Naismith to refuse to investigate what are serious issues against a number of people is frightening.

Savecarenne alleged that unapproved escorts had been used by Cheryl Chaplin, Capebase, Carenne Support, Dick Spears and Peter Williams and that the only vehicles meeting department standards were operated by Carenne Support.

Of particular concern was the unapproved use of medically retired assistant principal Lee Churches on Capebase's run given that she was retired due to cognitive and mental health problems. She was subsequently approved despite being a person on the department's Not To Be Employed list.

Savecarenne's complaint raised both safety and child protection issues and has been flatly rejected by the manager of the Assisted School Travel Unit who presided over the unit when 700 students were left stranded at the beginning of the year. It's time the department take action and sack Naismith for gross incompetence.

ASTU officer George Kalinin identified as corrupt

Following Libertarian's expos'e of Capebase Pty Ltd and its close relationship with an officer of the Assisted School Travel Unit (ASTU) known as George, Carenne Gate was flooded with details about the corrupt officer.

Carenne Gate can reveal that George Kalinin, a senior transport officer at the ASTU has been heavily involved in rorts surrounding the Assisted School Travel Program (ASTP) for years.

One such rort is a system of mates rates for particular bus operators, hand selected by Kalnin himself. These rates mates were referred to as the department standard rate. The department standard rate in 2011 for a bus such as those used by Carenne Support and Capebase was $3.12 per kilometre, with a daily minimum of 100 kilometres (or $312 per day). Preferred operators such as Carenne Support, Capebase and TRAILS were paid the standard rate while other operators were not even told of its existence.

Kalinin is heavily involved in the allocation of runs at the ASTU and has rewarded his mates with lucrative runs, despite their history of major issues.

Kalinin was also known to bully drivers and operators, telling them if they complained about the system they would lose their run and it would be allocated to another operator. These re-allocations were ordinarily made to Capebase or other operators paid according to the department standard rate.

Kalinin has threatened drivers and operators who reported safety issues with both vehicles and individual students. Kalinin told these people making complaints to mind their own business and if they pushed the issue they were warned that there would be serious consequences.

Kalinin has also bullied parents, telling them if they complained too much he would just end their eligibility for transport and they would have to take their own children to school.

Numerous complaints about Kalinin have been made to both Gail Vasic (former ASTU manager) and Catherine Naismith (current ASTU manager) with no action being taken. His corrupt activities at the ASTU have been reported to politicians on both sides of the political divide and has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, yet no action has been taken against him.

George Kalinin is yet another officer at the ASTU that should be in the dole queue, instead of looking after his corrupt mates.

Capebase refuses to cater to special needs, rewarded by DEC

The NSW Department of Education and Communities has once again shown its complete incompetence in relation to its administration of the Assisted School Travel Program (formerly known as the Special Needs Transport Service) with the revelation that Capebase Pty Ltd, an organisation which has featured on this blog for defrauding the department, having dangerous drivers and abusing students has taken over a run in the Blue Mountains formerly serviced by Katoomba-Leura Cabs.

Parents vented their anger to the Blue Mountains Gazette which has named and shamed the organisation for refusing to guarantee that they can guarantee to be able to cater to the special needs of students.

Les Ross and Capebase have been given special treatment by the department for years. It is well aware of the issues surrounding it, yet like Carenne Support it continues to be rewarded with lucrative transport contracts.

It's time for the education minister to sack Catherine Naismith, the manager of the Assisted School Travel Unit and to announce an inquiry into why organisations such as Capebase and Carenne Support were awarded contracts given their past poor performance.

Readers interested in past stories about Capebase may read them by clicking this.