‘The school acted like a protection racket for people who have done appalling things’: Geelong Grammar bombshell
A “lost generation” of students from elite Geelong Grammar has cost the school at least $100m in legal suits after former leaders ignored abuse allegations for decades, with claims the school acted “like a protection racket”.
Victoria
Don't miss out on the headlines from Victoria. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A “lost generation” of Geelong Grammar students has cost the school at least $100m in legal claims after the school’s previous leaders spent decades ignoring child abuse allegations.
“Many have experienced drug and alcohol dependency, family estrangement, relationship breakdowns and mental health problems, all common side effects of child abuse,” one insider said.
“Some are on ice, have no teeth, they came from good families and high-flying parents, but they are now homeless.
“Several elderly parents are now in the position of being carers for their middle-aged sons and daughters,” they said.
“For decades, the school acted like a protection racket for people who have done appalling things,” the source said.
Geelong Grammar, like all others, is not insured from claims against staff perpetrators it knew of, but did nothing about, sparking a multimillion liability nightmare that continues today.
The school, which posted a deficit of $7.9m this financial year, is also settling a number of claims about other more recent matters such as the use of undue force by teachers, bullying and unfair expulsion.
“They are still coming forward, they will be coming forever,” the school insider said.
Financial statements show the school first started posting significant working capital losses in 2018: $48m, followed by $47m in 2019, $30m in 2020, $23m in 2021, $24m in 2022, $32m in 2023 and $31m in 2024.
It’s estimated that there are more victims yet to come forward from teachers such as Philippe Trutmann, who worked as an assistant in the boarding house from 1985 to 1995. He has been convicted of abuse against 40 boys.
Lawyer Judy Courtin said the “real number of abuse victims from Trutmann could be in the hundreds”.
The school was strongly criticised in the 2015 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse for failing to respond to complaints of sexual abuse and inform police.
Another source told the Herald Sun that before the Royal Commission, the school “was a world unto its own”.
“When the Royal Commission was on, the shredders were working overtime.
“When the commissioners visited, they found cabinets full of complaints that had not been responded to, just sitting there, with no action taken,” they said.
The Herald Sun has spoken to many law firms with ongoing claims against the school.
Prominent abuse claims lawyer Angela Sdrinis has acted for many past Geelong Grammar child abuse survivors and was prominent in the Royal Commission hearings.
“It’s easier to prove loss of income so there are big settlements – there’s no doubt they are having to pay a lot of money,” she said.
After the Royal Commission, claims are now settling for $1m to $3m, she said.
“It’s heartbreaking. These beautiful young men are now drug addicts, homeless and alcoholics, alienated from their families.”
Kim Price, who leads Arnold Thomas & Becker’s abuse team, said Geelong Grammar was the subject of more than a dozen separate allegations – the highest number in the region”.
Grace Wilson at Rightside Legal said that “since the change in administration and lawyers, the school has become more ethical in its dealings with survivors”.
The school is now led by principal Rebecca Cody who said she was “deeply saddened that some members of our Geelong Grammar School community face significant challenges due to the ongoing impact of the crimes of the past”.
“While we cannot undo the failures of the past, together we can acknowledge the harm and recognise the pain caused.”
Those distressed by this article are encouraged to contact a survivor support service funded by the school which can be found here.
Originally published as ‘The school acted like a protection racket for people who have done appalling things’: Geelong Grammar bombshell
Eddy’s country crime empire a family affair
Josh Eddy was subservient to Mongol bosses in the big smoke but called the shots of a crime empire in Cobram. These are the key players who kept his operation ticking.
Read more
Full list: The state schools hit hardest by teacher shortages in Vic
Victorian state high schools are struggling to get staff as teachers shun regional campuses in favor of the city. Check to see if your school is on the list.
Read more
Australia’s ‘stupidest tax’ is about to push up your power bills again
A sneaky state land levy that is added to every Victorian power bill and has been slammed “Australia’s stupidest tax” has just got a whole lot “stupider” after growing to a record new high.
Read more
Whistleblower’s warning to parents as new childcare claims revealed
A mother who triggered a major child sex abuse probe is urgently warning parents that former premier Jay Weatherill “cannot be trusted” to run Victoria’s childcare review.
Read more
‘Admin in a vest’: Crooks being bailed as cops drown in paperwork
Victoria’s police union is pushing for a cut down on admin tasks crippling the force, with officers saying offenders are back out on bail before they have even completed all their paperwork.
Read more
How these bold cops booted bikie’s drug ring out of Cobram
Police and “pissed off” Cobram locals were fed up with the outrageous displays of wealth and intimidating behaviour of Josh Eddy and his cronies. So these detectives decided to do something about it.
Read more