What Our Supporters Say
Since we launched our campaign, many have spoken out about the dysfunction, and worse, of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA) over many decades, including leading figures in the Church and School communities.
The press, our Facebook page, and the petition are recording the support and views of over 4,000 members of the school communities. Some representative comments are republished here.
Views of Senior Members of Our Church and School Communities
Views of Parents, Old Girls and Boys and Former Staff
Views of Leaders in the Wider Community
Views of Independent School Councillors of Somerville House
See also the views of over 4,000 supporters on our Facebook page.
Views of Senior Members of Our Church and School Communities
Everald Compton – Uniting Church elder and Former PMSA Council Member (12 years)
Somerville House is a fine Church School in Brisbane, but it is in the process of being torn apart by an extraordinarily inept governing body.
The Principal and Senior staff have been sacked, parents have staged a protest march, and students who took part have been penalised.
It all began when totally inappropriate people gained control of the School Council and even descended to having some clandestine meetings in a Korean Bath House.
The result is that the Church has been blamed and, sadly, this adds to the rapidly declining image that the Church has in society.
The pathetic situation concerns me for two reasons.
Four decades ago, I served a 12 year term on the Council that governs Somerville House. To be elected you had to be an active and committed Church member with a solid record of community service and a reputable public profile.
Apparently, this no longer applies as political powerbrokers and social climbers have gained control. Unless the Church sacks them immediately they will drag the School and the Church into the gutter.
The second and most important issue is that back in the days when I served on the Council we worked diligently towards enhancing a philosophy of encouraging students to embrace a significant scale of personal values that would lead them to be good citizens whose life was based around positive Christian ethics. This vision has fallen by the wayside at today's Somerville House and must be reinstated as a matter of priority and urgency.
But, this will require leadership which is not apparent at present.and it must begin today in the highest echelons of the Church.
There can be no excuses.
Graham Thompson – Former Principal of BBC – Facebook, October 30, 2017 in response to Everald Compton
Everald, I couldn’t agree more. There needs to be a complete overhaul of the governance of the PMSA and the entire elimination of the current membership of the PMSA Council to be replaced by educators, accountants, lawyers and Church people who really care about children. You will, no doubt, remember what a section of the PMSA did to me in 1977. Kind regards. Graham Thompson
Isabel Bauer – Old Girl. President of Somerville Old Girls Association, 1982 – 1999, Foundation Member, Mother and Grandmother to Somerville students Namesake of the recently opened Bauer Building – Attended the protest - Courier Mail, October 28, 2017
“The PMSA is a law unto themselves and I think they feel they don’t need to include the school community.”
Wendy Cox – Old Girl and Former President of P&F - Courier Mail, October 27, 2017
“This school has been here for 119 years and people just think there’s a bit of scandal but it’s way more than that, it’s talking about a governing body, which is referred to as the PMSA who are making decisions and not involving the stakeholders,” Ms Cox said.
“We chose to send our girls here for not only the Christian values that the school and the churches espouse, but what they were given as opportunities while they were here as students and we feel like that’s all been slowly destroyed.
“(They) have yet to come in and answer any of our questions or allay any of our fears not only parents of this campus, but parents of other three campuses that are under their umbrella.”
Margaret Chapman - Former PMSA Councillor, staff member and past parent at two schools. Reasons for signing the Beyond PMSA petition.
"I'm signing because I have been a parent at two schools, a staff member at two schools, and a PMSA Councillor. My frustration at this organisation is immense. The schools are great and can function well without the interference of this dysfunctional organisation."
Views of Parents, Old Girls and Boys and Former Staff
Susan McDonald – Somerville House Foundation Board Member – Courier Mail, November 11, 2017
Somerville House Foundation board member Susan McDonald, who has two daughters in years 8 and 9, has resigned effective immediately from the board and given notice that her children will not be returning to the school next year.
“It has been a gut-wrenching decision for us. We were happy with the school and the teachers are exemplary but we have lost faith in the governance of the school,’’ the former Clayfield College teacher said.
“We just don’t want to give them our money anymore.
“I have completely lost my faith in the PMSA’s ability to govern Somerville House.
“The PMSA has demonstrated so much disdain and disrespect for its parent body, and the treatment of Mrs Florence Kearney and senior staff of Somerville House by the PMSA has been deplorable.”
Helen Derrick – former staff member. Reasons for signing petition - November 7, 2017.
I've watched the regressive governance of the PMSA in PMSA schools since the 1970s. I worked in a PMSA school from 1985-2007 and was part of the Enterprise Bargaining Team 1993+ 1996+. I saw how the PMSA treated Milton Cujes who fought for the Library Resource Centre to be built, to his own cost. His vision was in stark contrast to the parochialism and limited policy vision of the governing body.
Views of Leaders in the Wider Community
Madonna King – Award-winning journalist, commentator, and author – Facebook, October 27, 2017
Flo Kearney, Principal of Somerville, would have to be one of the most professional and well-respected educators in this country. My children don't go to Somerville, but I have dealt with her several times, including seeking her expert advice for my book Being 14. For her to be marched off the grounds of the school she has led for so long shows something really badly stinks. Haven't our churches disappointed us enough in recent years?
Andrew Antoniolli – Mayor of Ipswich – Facebook, October 26, 2017
To quote Shakespeare/Hamlet, “something rotten in the State of Denmark”(?). I have known Flo Kearney for many years and know her to be beyond reproach. The state of affairs are such that it should be of concern to all, that individuals of integrity who are committed and passionate to their school and position should be outcast in such fashion and without regard to their reputations. One would like to believe that such actions would be below that of these institutions. My thoughts and prayers to Flo and all those affected.
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The Views of the Independent School Councillors of Somerville House
Ian McDonald – Former Independent Council member and Former Principal of St Lawrence’s school – Courier Mail, October 27, 2017
‘I can no longer stomach the behaviour of the PMSA council,”
“When I find out about yesterday’s events from an AHISA (Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia) email notice to principals, it simply says to me that there is no regard by the PMSA for me or the independent councillors.
“I think Somerville is a great school and deserves governance by competent people of integrity with some educational understanding at least.
“Best wishes in the long struggle ahead.”
Dr Russell Bird – last remaining Independent Somerville House School Councillor – Letter, October 20, 2017
The following letter is from Dr Russell Bird, the last remaining independent Somerville House School Councillor, to School Council Chair and PMSA Council member Jim Demack. It is a long letter, but very worth reading to the end.
Hi Jim,
After our telephone discussion on Tuesday, 17th October, I have decided to put my thoughts in print form and send them to PMSA members, Foundation, P and F, Old Girls' Association, and other interested parties at other PMSA schools where possible. Because many of these people do not know me, I will begin with a brief introduction. My association with Somerville House began in 1984 with the enrolment of my eldest daughter. In 1985, the Rev Sam Seymour, Barry Scott, Ross Johnston, and I formed the SHS Foundation. I subsequently became chairman for a few years.
I was then asked to become a Community Member of the School Council, a position I still occupy today. Soon after joining the Council, it became apparent that PMSA's governance standards were inadequate. A major school building project was in the planning stages and there was a certain person who assumed that his firm would be doing the engineering work with no tenders to be called. He explained that this was the norm, thus rewarding those who did voluntary work for the school. The three Community Councillors refused to accept this and to this person's annoyance, a project manager was appointed, I believe for the first time ever. His fee was approximately $400,000, but by following due process, we saved approximately $3-5 million. I have no complaint concerning this person. He was simply following the inadequate governance standards of the PMSA at the time.
I have been closely associated with the last three Principals at SHS. At various times, all expressed frustration and annoyance at the behaviour of the PMSA hierarchy. There has been tension and distrust between the school and the PMSA throughout this time and I have discussed this with you on a couple of occasions. Unfortunately, the totally avoidable debacle that is currently being played out in public has increased this lack of trust throughout the school community, further damaged the reputation of the PMSA, and tarnished the name of a very fine school. I recall that in 2002, the PMSA joined with Moreton Bay College to form Moreton Bay Boys College. After five unhappy years, the PMSA withdrew and the resultant Moreton Bay College has thrived. I have been told that within one year, the school had advanced significantly.
At a school council meeting, some 5-6 weeks ago, I warned the attending PMSA members present that unless the Hiley/McCall affair was resolved immediately, it would escalate into a public brawl from which there would be no winners. Although I had a very good relationship with Rick Hiley, I saw no alternative to terminating his employment. The PMSA obviously saw things differently. Now three careers have been destroyed, I believe because of the inability of the PMSA to see that inaction was always going to produce this result. Unfortunately, conflict resolution is never achieved by doing nothing and hoping the problem will go away.
Rob McCall quickly fell on his sword, hoping that this issue would not enter the public arena. He is a good man, but will continue to be the subject of unsavoury gossip and all chance of future promotion probably gone. Flo Kearney has been severely punished because she brought to light the major facts in the case. As I said to you previously, this has nothing to do with Flo's performance as a teacher/administrator etc. As best the school community can determine, she has been very badly treated because the PMSA has given no reason for her termination. Please don't continue the nonsense that she resigned voluntarily. Nobody involved with the school believes this. They know she was given little choice. Finally, we come to the third player, Rick Hiley. I'm not going to list the reasons why he has to go. These have been published in major newspapers throughout Australia. His reputation has been destroyed. He must hate getting out of bed in the morning, knowing that people are talking behind his back about the extraordinary meetings with Rob McCall, some of which were in school hours. I feel terribly sorry for his wife and family. They certainly didn't deserve this stress and loss of face.
I would like to make two suggestions.
1. The short-term solution is for Rick to go. I'm surprised he hasn't resigned. I can assure you that this issue will not die. The anger is growing. I think street demonstrations are likely. TV coverage is possibly the next step. An investigation by the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board is being demanded by a growing number of parents and supporters. Jim, I think many people underestimate the importance of perception. Whether it is right or not, Rick is now perceived by a growing percentage of the school family as being totally unfit to be working in a Christian school's association. The down loading of files, previous employers' files on his personal computer, lewd phone calls, nude sojourns in a Korean bath house in working hours will follow him forever. Some parents are demanding that his Blue Card be confiscated.
2. I am not a lawyer and I don't know how this can be achieved, but for some time I have been advocating that the four schools under the PMSA umbrella should be separately constituted. Each school should be run by its school council. The churches would still have full control and ownership. There could still be four church members and three community members on each council, all approved and appointed by the churches. However, there must never again be a "jobs for the boys mentality". The council members would be selected on merit, not as a reward for supporting the church for 20 years. The councils should be made up of top flight educationalists, accountants, lawyers, marketers, demographers etc. people who can drive the schools to greater heights. Under this scheme, the 15 faceless PMSA members would not be needed, unless there were one or two who met the standards of the school councils. Tenure should be a maximum of 10 years.
One last thing that is dear to my heart - fund raising. Many parents over many years have asked the question: "If I donate to the Somerville Foundation and the Foundation then transfers money to the school, is it possible that the PMSA could purloin those funds to prop up a less well-run school under their umbrella?" Of course, the answer has to be yes. Thus, some will not donate. If the school was separately constituted, fund raising would be much easier. In fact, if the school had been separately constituted, this fiasco that is proving to be so damaging to the PMSA and to Somerville simply could not have happened.
Jim, I hope you will receive this in the spirit intended. I would not still be involved if I didn't have a great belief in this wonderful school. Somerville can be better, however, and to achieve this, changes in the PMSA are urgently needed. Better governance and a more streamlined structure would be a good start.
Warm regards,
Russell Bird
Statement from Dr Sarah Kelly and Mr Ian McDonald – former Independent Councillors of Somerville House School Council – Facebook 27th October 2017
On 27th October the PMSA’s Greg Adsett gave an interview on the ABC with Steve Austin. It was not factual, nor truthful, and has incensed former Somerville House Council colleagues.
The statement below is in direct response to the ABC interview.
Both Dr Sarah Kelly and Mr Ian MacDonald have recently resigned their positions on the Somerville House School Council as Independent members as a direct result of the on-going actions of the PMSA.
By way of additional background, Dr Sarah Kelly is a senior law lecturer at UQ and Mr Ian MacDonald is the former Principal of St Laurence’s College South Brisbane.
Please find their statement below:
1. The PMSA appointed Mr Rick Hiley to the position of Executive Manager of the PMSA on 6 June 2017.
2. At that time Mr Hiley was still employed at Somerville House.
3. On 7 June 2017, Reverend Fysh (a PMSA council member and the then chairperson the Somerville House Council) met with Mr Hiley whilst he was still working at Somerville House and raised with him allegations of serious misconduct arising out of his employment at Somerville House. That meeting ended with Rev Fysh ensuring that Mr Hiley departed the school premises.
4. The so called “independent investigation” by Q Workplace Solutions (“the Investigative Report”) was in fact commissioned by the PMSA and the PMSA’s solicitors, Hopgood Ganim, after Mr Hiley later complained to Mr Robert McCall, the then Chairman of the PMSA, about the way in which he had been treated by Rev Fysh.
5. At the time that the PMSA commissioned the investigation, Mr Robert McCall was its chairman and Mr Hiley was its Executive Manager. Each of these men remained in those positions with the PMSA throughout the investigation until its completion and the subsequent delivery of the Investigative Report.
6. As at 7 June 2017, the Somerville House Council had three independent community members: Dr Bird, Mr Ian McDonald and Dr Sarah Kelly. The rest of the Council were comprised of PMSA members (one of whom had to be Chairman) and the School Principal. Under the Council’s charter, the committee was charged with the responsibility of acting in the best interests of the school, its pupils and its school community and the PMSA. One of the main responsibilities of the School Council was expressed to be “to ensure the legal and ethical integrity of School operations and to maintain accountability”. The Council’s charter required the independent community members to be drawn from the wider school community.
7. Mr Adsett has repeatedly proclaimed in public that the Investigative Report was independent and completely exonerated Mr Hiley. He has also referred on morning radio to transparency.
8. In terms of the Investigative Report:
a. The 3 independent community members made repeated requests to be shown the Investigative Report;
b. Mr Adsett and the PMSA have repeatedly refused to provide a copy of the Investigative Report to the 3 independent community members;
c. The refusal has been on the stated basis that the PMSA wishes to preserve the confidentiality of the Investigative Report;
d. The 3 independent community members also unsuccessfully attempted through solicitors correspondence directed to the PMSA’s solicitors to obtain a copy of the Investigative Report;
e. As a result, the 3 independent community member and the Principal have never seen the Investigative Report however the PMSA members of the Somerville School Council have not only read the report but have made their own interpretations of its content;
f. The PMSA (by Mr Adsett) did confirm to the 3 independent community members at a meeting on 15 August 2017 that the extensive text messages passing between Mr Hiley and Mr McCall (some of which have since been referred to in newspaper articles) were not briefed to Q Workplace Solutions for the purpose of their investigation;
g. The 3 independent community members also understand that the alleged data breaches relating to the Somerville House Foundation, TAFE and Lifeline were not the subject of the investigation by Q Workplace Solutions.
9. The 3 independent Community Members have never been shown or provided with a copy of the Deloitte Report which has been referred to in the Australian. They also understand that the Principal Mrs Kearney was never shown a copy of that report.
10. By an email to the school community dated 12 October 2017 Mr Adsett and the current chairman of the Somerville House School Council, Mr Demack, stated, in reference to the Investigative Report, that the PMSA had “discussed those matters with the School Council”.
11.The discussions between the PMSA and the independent community members about the Investigative Report, how the investigators were briefed and whether the independent community members were entitled to see the Investigative Report were substantially in writing and contained in a letter from the PMSA to the School Council Acting Chairman dated 9 August 2017, a letter from the School Council to the PMSA dated 21 August 2017 and a letter from the PMSA to the independent community members dated 31 August 2017. Drs Bird and Kelly and Mr McDonald invite Mr Adsett, in a spirit of transparency, to agree to the publication of the entirety of that correspondence. This is particularly important now that he and Mr Demack raised the matter of discussions with the School Council in their letter to the school community dated 12 October 2017.
12. After having received the letter from the PMSA to the independent Community members dated 31 August 2017, Dr Sarah Kelly resigned her position as an independent community member by a detailed letter dated 31 August 2017 to the PMSA. That resignation letter should form part of the records of the Somerville House Council and the PMSA.
13. Dr Kelly resigned because she considered there to have been decisions made by the PMSA which had been directed to the Somerville School Council which had involved fundamental failures of governance and due process and with which she strongly disagreed.
14. Mr Ian McDonald resigned from the School Council on 26 October 2017 stating that “ I can no longer stomach the behaviour of the PMSA council. When I find out about yesterdays events from an AHISA (Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia) email notice to principals, it simply says to me that there is no regard by the PMSA for me or the independent councillors. I think Somerville is a great school and deserves governance by competent people of integrity with some educational understanding at least.”
15. Dr Bird’s position is now a matter of public record as contained in his email dated 20/10/2017.
16.Rev Fysh resigned as chairman of the Somerville House Council on 14/06/2017. He was followed by another PMSA Council member Mr David Munro, who resigned as Chairman of the Somerville House Council on 08/08/2017. He was followed by another PMSA Council member Mr Kevin Standish, who resigned as Chairman of the Somerville House Council on 29/8/2017.
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