According to the Australian, 26 February 2009, Geelong Grammar is one of the most expensive private schools in the nation, and this year increased its year 12 fees by 8%, to $28, 886. Not included in these fees is the further largesse received in per capita recurrent funding from State and federal governments. Nor does it include the indirect funding from taxation exemptions from various levels of government.

Based upon the Senate Estimates Committee Hearing in Canberra on February 25, the Australian noted the following:

The Commonwealth Department implementing the Rudd Government's Education Revolution and Workplace Reforms, spent almost $1 million on three 'Happiness' Conferences for public servants and teachers in January 2009.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace treated one hundred of its officials to a week-long seminar on well-being, held at Geelong Grammar School, in Victoria at a cost of $642,000.

In addition, the Department gave Geelong Grammar  $350,000 to stage two six-day residential conferences on Happiness and Positive Psychology for two hundred teachers from Government, Independent and Catholic schools.

The Department also paid Geelong Grammar $139,000 for hosting the event at Geelong Grammar.

Sixteen Million Dollar Wellbeing Centre

These Conferences were held at Geelong Grammar's sixteen million dollar wellbeing centre which opened last year. On Geelong Grammar's website this Centre is described in the following terms:

In a world-first, Geelong Grammar is setting a new direction in education, with the opening of an innovative sixteen million Hanbury Centre for wellbeing and a new approach to teaching and learning using positive psychology in collaboration with leading US psychologist, Professor Martin Seligman, Fox Professor of Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania...

Geelong Grammar promotion material promotes the centre as combining everyday medical facilities alongside proactive approaches to good health, such as information on line for students about health and wellbeing issues, counselling, yoga and Pilates. It contains excellent indoor activity facilities ( including indoor courts, a pool, gymnasium and dance studio.) These activities are intended to develop long lasting enjoyment of and involvement in physical activity that will help counteract obesity and eating disorders.

The centre also provides students with a special place they can visit to socialise, exercise, train and seek out information or expert advice.

 At the Senate estimates Hearing in Canberra, Department officials affirmed that the Commonwealth government had paid about $440,000 to Professor Seligman and his team of about 15 from the United States for the Conference for public servants.

Reaction of  President of the Australian Education Union, Angelo Gavrielatos,

In reaction to the above information, Angelo Gavrielatos said that the $1 million paid out would have paid for ten teachers who would deliver a literacy program to struggling students. He said:

It certainly does not accord with the priorities of teachers in public schools....what would cause more happiness to the nation as a whole is to dedicate those funds to better meet the needs of students.

Awaiting the Reaction of the Local Labor Party Member, Richard Marles:

DOGS await the reaction of the local Labor Member, Richard Marles. He is an old boy at both the primary and secondary level of Geelong Grammar. Given his history in the political arena, his response will be of particular interest to supporters, parents and teachers of grossly underfunded public schools.

Clash Between Richard Marles and Christopher Pyne ( Opposition spokesperson on Education)

The Geelong Advertiser of 21 November 2008 noted the following interchange between Richard Marles and Christopher Pyne. Pyne , another private school graduate, ( from a Jesuit school) complained that the Labor Party intended to ruthlessly pursue their ideological opposition to non-government schools. He said:

 'the politics of envy were alive and well in the Australian Labor Party.'

Mr Marles responded by saying that Mr Pyne was trying to play private schools off against the public. He said:

'We are committed to empowering parents to make a choice with education of their children.'

He continued:

'There are both needy and well-resourced schools in the public and private sectors. The Rudd Government is about developing a funding model which is fair for all irrespective of what system the school is a part of.'

and

'The Rudd government was committed to ensuring no school lost funding.'

A product of Geelong Grammar: One of Robert Gordon Menzies Christian gentlemen?

In the 1960s, when Robert Gordon Menzies first gave State Aid to church schools, he informed us that private church schools produced 'Christian Gentlemen'. If Robert Gordon Menzies was still in the land of the living, DOGS would ask him about Richard Marles.

The Herald Sun media system reported that supporters of Richard Marles stacked Labor Party branches to usurp the previous member for Corio, Gavin O'Connor. On October 18, 2007, the Herald Sun reported Mr O 'Connor as saying that the most important choice that Corio voters would face would be about 'basic values'. He was further quoted:

Do they want political representation based on probity, integrity, honesty and ethics, or do they want the deceitful, self-absorbed and cynical whatever it takes view of politics that is being imposed on them?'

DOGS wonder whether Sir Robert Menzies would consider the indicia of a "Christian Gentleman' to include the description of Mr O'Connor's  opponent as deceitful, self-absorbed and cynical whatever it takes view of politics' alleged by Mr 'Connor

DOGS' further research reveals that Richard Marles made no mention of his Geelong Grammar connection in his maiden speech to Parliament.

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