Rumour checking
Dear Minister for Education,
OMG. Did our VC Prof Terry really appoint Monash PhD student Erin Watson-Lynn to chair Curtin's National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education ( http://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases... )? ROFL!! IMHO, it's a kinda step down from Fred Chaney AO. I wonder how board members (https://www.ncsehe.edu.au/about/advisory... ) Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, Professor Carmen Lawrence and Professor Bruce Chapman feel about it, LOL? And why did the VC choose Ms Watson-Lynn and not Bob Bogan, Cert III student from Balga? He's got great credentials. Watson-Lynn twits a lot ( http://twitter.com/ErinLynnAus/status/79... ) but leading a heavy-weight academic advisory board of a RESEARCH centre??? Really?!
The mills are alive with the sound of rumour (no disrespect to Julie Andrews) ... Word on campus is the centre's grinding to the music of political interference. What we want to know is did the minister muck around in the sand pit? Maybe he could take questions on the issue when next he comes to WA.Ah, can't wait till then but.
Under FOI I'd like to see any document (just one will be enough): (i) showing the Minister considered the issue of the appointment of Ms Erin Watson-Lynn to the advisory board of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, and/or (ii) purporting to approve the appointment? Useful search terms: Erin Watson-Lynn, NCSEHE, National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, board. Date range: 1/9/2016 to 7/11/2016.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Felix
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your below FOI request has been transferred to the Department of Education
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Dear Minister for Education,
I don't understand why you want to transfer my FOI application. Could you please explain.
Yours faithfully,
Felix
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Dear Felix
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your FOI request.
Thank you
FOI Team
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O...M...G... Ms Fiot, so it was true. Birmingham blundered! Not happy to let our VC appoint her own staff, Simon wants to play Pied Piper. But really, a PhD student to chair the Board? What would HM make of her minister's mucking? And now you'd like $182 to make a decision about 18 pages. What should we make of that?
I say the charge has been wrongly assessed and even if you got the assessment right it's wrong to impose the charge. It's wrong because of these reasons.
(A) You say you have identified 18 pages that are relevant to my request but if the bureaucrats in Canberra copy their compadres in the West, there'll be 17 pages of stuff the Minister maybe considered (would he really read 17 pages) but just 1 page (maybe 2) actually "(i) SHOWING the Minister considered the issue of the appointment of Ms Erin Watson-Lynn to the advisory board of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, and/or (ii) PURPORTING TO APPROVE the appointment". One page is likely enough blood to satisfy the hounds of the hunt. It'll be the page with Simon's signature saying something like "I approve [or appoint] Erin Watson-Lynn, PhD student, to chair the board of my National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education" or maybe just "I recommend Ms Erin-Watson-Lynn" ... if he was feeling a bit coy on the day. So that's one reason; one page, not 18.
(B) Finance had a spreadsheet to estimate FOI charges. They reckoned about 5 minutes a page to make a decision, plus time writing it up. That's nothing like the time you reckon. And 16 or 17 pages are now out the window.
And what if that extraordinary amount of $182 was correct? I say it shouldn't be imposed. Ministerial political meddling in matters not his concern? That's serious, and seriously in the public interest to expose. Maybe you say the minister has authority to give money for the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education. But did he really have authority to appoint the chair or meddle in our University's appointment?
So please, Ms Fiot, waive the charge and publish the one or two relevant rippers.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Felix
p.s. It's New Year. Everybody has shut up shop, including Curtin. If you'd like an extra 14 days to make a decision, you can take this as my agreement ... and, without any irony, "Happy New Year"
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Dear Felix
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your FOI request.
Thank you
FOI Team
Department of Education and Training
Dear Felix
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your FOI request.
Thank you
FOI Team
Department of Education and Training
Dear Minister for Education,
Hoolie doolie, daaw gawn! "Under the funding arrangements for the NCSEHE, Curtin is responsible for appointing the Chair, in discussion with the Department of Education and Training". And no role for meddling Minister!!! Awhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?
But it don't make no never mind, does it, 'cause Simon wants Erin Watson-Lynne. Stand aside Prof Terry! Pipe down, Prof Krause, Prof Lawrence and Prof Chapman. Simon want Erin Watson-Lynn. Listen to the chant. "Erin Watson-Lynn! Erin Watson-Lynn! Erin Watson-Lynn!" Simon begs,"Erin Watson-Lynn ... pleeaaase." It's beautiful.
What other plans has muppet Minister got for the Board? Will Bob Bogan from Balga get an invite after all?
Thank you so much..
Yours faithfully,
Felix
Thank you for your email to Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for
Education and Training. This is an automated reply to let you know your
email has been received.
We appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback on our education
policies.
As the office receives a significant amount of correspondence, only emails
providing full contact details will be formally responded to.
Office of Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham
Minister for Education and Training
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Ph: 02 6277 7350
Notice:
The information contained in this email message and any attached files may
be confidential information, and may also be the subject of legal
professional privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use,
disclosure or copying of this email is unauthorised. If you received this
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