Parents at Radford College have delivered a stunning vote of no confidence in the school's leadership after financial mismanagement forced a massive 23 percent fee increase for families.
Angry parents pack town hall meeting
More than 370 frustrated parents filled two lecture halls at the University of Canberra to confront school leaders about the controversial fee hike. The meeting revealed deep dissatisfaction with how the board has handled the school's finances and communication with families.
The gathering was organised by parents from a large WhatsApp group that formed when the fee increase was first announced at the start of November. College principal Christopher Bradbury and board members attended the first half of the town hall, facing tough questions about both the fee rise and the financial mistakes that prompted it.
Financial error turns surplus into deficit
The crisis emerged when the school revealed significant accounting errors from 2024. Decisions based on incorrect financial information meant an anticipated $1.7 million surplus unexpectedly became an $840,000 deficit - a financial swing of more than $2.5 million.
Just hours before the town hall meeting, school board chair Vicki Williams announced a fee restructure in response to the growing parent backlash. However, this failed to satisfy many families who had already lost trust in the board's financial management.
Parents had previously requested detailed financial statements under confidentiality agreements to better understand the situation and propose alternatives, but the school rejected this approach.
Parents propose compromise solution
During the emotional meeting, parents put forward their own compromise proposal: a 10 percent increase to tuition fees combined with a 10 percent increase to the capital levy paid for each student. They argued this would still bring the school into positive cash flow while being more reasonable for families.
"Parents are being punished with a retrospective tax," one parent told the meeting, capturing the mood of many who felt they were paying for the school's financial mismanagement.
Several parents revealed they could afford the increase but planned to move their children to grammar schools in 2026 due to concerns about the values displayed by the school board throughout the process.
Bill Shorten backs parent action
New Radford parent and prominent political figure Bill Shorten addressed the gathering, expressing his surprise at the scale of the fee increase. He praised the organising parents for their courage in advocating for change.
"It takes guts," Mr Shorten said. "Don't give up." He emphasised it was unacceptable for children to be "thrown under the bus" because of governance failures.
The meeting concluded with a formal vote that saw more than 370 parents declaring they had no confidence in the current school board leadership.
The situation at Radford College highlights growing tensions between school administrations and parents over fee increases and financial transparency in Australia's education sector.
