Kimberley College: Son of Kimberley College staff member flew first class on overseas trip
THE young son of a Kimberley College staff member flew first class on an unauthorised $350,945 six-week overseas trip, with the family documenting his high-flying adventures on an Instagram page which now has 35,000 followers.
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LAVISH trips totalling more than $700,000, $6.3 million in unpaid school fees, a social media account boasting an exorbitant lifestyle of a four-year-old boy and more than $690,000 in unauthorised bonuses and back pay.
These are just some of the frivolous expenses that forensic accountants have unearthed after tearing through Kimberley College’s finances.
It’s been five weeks since GT Advisory and Consulting launched its financial review after concerns were raised by the Australian Taxation Office, an auditor and banks.
Principal Paul Thomson, along with his with wife Jennifer, daughter Amy and her husband Kevin Ferguson, and daughter Debbie Horn have since been suspended indefinitely pending the review.
Ms Ferguson oversaw the college’s finances until recently while Mr Ferguson is business manager. Ms Horn is a deputy principal.
The college community has been left reeling, with families of more than 900 students desperate to ascertain what the college’s future holds.
Since The Courier-Mail first revealed the investigation, the college has been rocked by allegations of nepotism and bullying.
Many past and present teachers and parents have anonymously aired concerns on the various Facebook pages and petitions that have been created in recent weeks.
The board has been asked to consider their positions, with GT Advisory and Consulting noting the directors breached their duty to “exercise care and diligence by allowing the company to operate the way it has for so long without adequate controls or systems in place”.
The accountants have called for a review into board chair Paul Wilton’s bus company Underwood Bus Services, with receipts relating to collected cash currently being reconciled.
Commenting on the whole ordeal, Mr Wilton said there would be many changes to the board when the investigation was finalised.
“There will be more experienced people brought in,” he said.
During the debacle, Mr Thomson has sensationally claimed on Facebook that he was owed $450,000 from the college in unpaid wages and reimbursements.
It came after The Courier-Mail revealed loans in excess of $380,000 had been granted to Ms Ferguson while unauthorised backpay in excess of $690,000 was handed to family members in 2016.
The college primarily relies on state and federal grants and student fees and charges to operate.
Between 2014 and 2016, the school received about $28.43 million from taxpayers.
However there is currently $6.38 million in outstanding schools fees – amounting to about two years worth of parent revenue.
The Courier-Mail has also learnt that an unauthorised $350,945 six-week trip to the UK and Findland in 2016 was openly documented on an Instagram page for the Fergusons’ son Otto, which has more than 35,000 followers.
Pictures were posted of Otto flying first class and sleeping at The Ritz London.
Hashtags including #discoverscottland, #firstclass, #emirates, #ottosworld and #northernlights were used.
The Thomson family has also acquired a multi-million-dollar property portfolio with the purchase of a 2ha property in Carbrook worth $995,000 in 2005. In 2012, Amy and Kevin Ferguson purchased a $720,000 Carbrook property.
MinterEllison, which is undertaking a governance review, uploaded two interim reports to the college’s website this week and a Q&A for parents to help diffuse rampant speculation on social media.
“The resolution to appoint MinterEllison Gold Coast occurred as a result of the Directors receiving commun-ication from the Australian Taxation Office in relation to unpaid superannuation during the period of 2014 to 2017, and following concerns raised by the College’s bankers about overseas transactions, and the College’s auditors about various financial management practices,” the firm wrote.
Paul, Jennifer, Amy, Kevin and Debbie were required to issue their show cause notices by yesterday.
In a twist last night, unidentified “Kimberley College members” posted on the school’s Facebook page, calling a meeting of parents for Monday evening and defending some of the family’s actions.
It said members had taken steps to “address the current situation” and had contacted the police and CCC.
The post said Mr Thomson contributed $140,000 towards the “personal component” of the UK trip and another $284,879 of personal funds was used to fund another trip to Spain and Sweden.
Parents intending to attend Monday’s meeting must register in advance.
“A statement will be read addressing allegations made against Jennifer Thomson, Paul Thomson, Kevin Ferguson, Amy Ferguson and Deborah Horn,” the post said.
Originally published as Kimberley College: Son of Kimberley College staff member flew first class on overseas trip
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