Victorian swindler Stephen Gailunas moves to Queensland to fulfil teaching dream

A convicted fraudster who was blocked from obtaining a teacher’s registration in Victoria has vowed to keep trying to reapply, saying he feels “optimistic about the future”.

Banned Victorian teacher Stephen Gailunas is now working at a Gold Coast school. Picture: Supplied

A convicted fraudster barred from teaching in Victoria is now working in a Queensland school.

The educator, Stephen Gailunas, has vowed to keep trying to work in Victoria in a bid to clear his name despite being convicted of 171 instances of fraud.

Mr Gailunas was refused teacher registration in 2021 in Victoria, but has since obtained a job as a baseball academy teacher at Robina State High School on the Gold Coast.

In 2016 he was found guilty in the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court of one charge of obtaining property by deception. He was found to have received $55 for teaching 171 people who didn’t exist to drive in around 2011.

He was paid more than $9000 under the “Keys to Drive” Australian Automobile Association scheme as a result of creating false identities for the learners, the court ruled.

This ruling was affirmed last month by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) which found that Mr Gailunas’ offending “cannot be seen as one error of judgement or as isolated conduct” but a “defect of character”.

Two members concluded his guilt was “proven beyond reasonable doubt” in the Magistrates’ Court.

Following inquiries by News Corp, the Queensland College of Teachers confirmed Mr Gailunas had been granted provisional registration in November 2022.

In a statement, the college said Queensland and Victoria have legislative regimes for assessing an applicant’s suitability to be a teacher.

“When a person applies for registration with the college, all criminal history matters are assessed,” it read.

“Certain offences automatically exclude a person from being registered. The offence named in this matter does not fall within that category.”

Other offences are considered when determining whether an applicant is suitable to teach, including whether the applicant is suitable to work with children, the statement said.

The Queensland department of education said it was an employing authority and only considers teachers for employment in state schools if they have current registration and a Blue Card.

A department spokeswoman said it liaises with the QCT to determine whether a person is suitable to teach.

“In deciding whether a person is suitable to teach, the QCT must take into account the person’s criminal history, including the nature of the offence and its relevance to the duties of a teacher,” the spokeswoman said.

“The department has appropriate processes in place to ensure all employees and prospective employees have undergone criminal history checking and hold correct registrations and clearances to work in our state school system.”

Mr Gailunas said he may reapply to work as a teacher in Victoria in order to clear his name.

“I have so much to give and feel so optimistic about the future,” he said.

Despite the conviction, Mr Gailunas was found to be an “outstanding” student teacher who was diligent and professional and given “uniformly glowing” reports.

Mr Gailunas said he was disappointed by the findings and was “steadfast in that the offending did not occur”.

“There is a lack of ICT evidence and a very flimsy case,” he said.