When a Christian church decides that direct access to government funding allows it to disregard the basic tenets of public education

In this case it was the Living Waters (Uniting) Church which decided that it knew best and appears to have misunderstood and then exceeded its role in the National School Chaplaincy Program famously instigated by former Prime Minister John Howard and continued to this day by the Gillard Government.

A 2010 investigation by the Northern Territory Ombudsman revealed that:

· There was insufficient consultation with community before the chaplaincy services were implemented at specific NT rural public schools and, in at least one school all students were automatically included in what should have been an opt-in voluntary chaplaincy service

· The National School Chaplaincy Code of Conduct was breached by at least one chaplain

· One chaplain allegedly attempted to contact the parents of children on the opt-out list of students who would not be accessing these services

· Inappropriate one-on-one counselling was undertaken by unqualified chaplains, with regard to students' behavioural and emotional problems amongst other matters

· Private and unsecured records of students were kept by at least one chaplain and, in one instance these same records were initially denied to a psychologist treating the student in question

· Conflicts of interest arose and there were perceived problems with duty of care on the part of chaplains

· Proselytising religious beliefs appears to have occurred at times

· In at least one instance there was failure to disclose to a relevant government authority

· There were allegations of improper payments being made to the chaplaincy services

· Chaplains had access to intimate personal information re certain students even when schools were in receipt of ‘no contact’ letters from parents

· In one instance there was defiance of a DET Executive directive in relation to the continued provision of services to one child

· Complaints concerning chaplaincy services or the conduct of specific chaplains were often inadequately handled by both schools and DET/ DEEWR

· The Church permanently housed a convicted paedophile (at least 20 counts of offences against minors recorded) within a building complex also used as emergency accommodation for families with children and in close proximity to a school and park

This is not an exclusive list of problems encountered in the National School Chaplaincy Program and, the fact that there was such a hasty national implementation of this school program and that funding flows directly to the religious organisation (by-passing state eduction authorities) has led to a service which is apparently wide open to abuse.

NT Ombudsman’s 2010 Investigation Report On The Operation of the Chaplaincy Service Within Five Government Rural Schools of the Northern Territory [162 page PDF file]