PFFWA HISTORY

• The Parents and Friends’ Federation of Western Australia Inc. was founded in March 1954 when 14 Parents and Friends’ Associations joined together to form a Federation – it now represents the parents of some 60000 students in 127 Catholic schools in WA.
• The Parents and Friends’ Federation of WA was the first Federation of non-government school parent groups in Australia and was the first to obtain any public recurrent funding for non-Govt. school children anywhere in Australia.
• In 1965 the Brand Liberal Government in Western Australia took the historic step of being the first Government in Australia to make per-capita recurrent (operating) payments to children in non-government schools.
• Secondary school students in WA initially received $10 per child per year from 1965, and similar payments were extended to non-government primary school children in WA in 1967.

Left to right Maurice McGovern, Bill Mahoney,Jim Carmody & Paul Donnelly

 

• In 1962, following the ‘Goulburn school Strike’ the Australian Parents’ Council was formed, through the initiative of the P & F Federation of WA and two other State bodies, the Victorian P & F Federation (formed in 1958) and the NSW Parents’ Council (formed in 1962).

• The non-denominational Australian Parents’ Council co-ordinated the individual Federations’ efforts, giving a much greater impetus to the struggle by non-government school parents to obtain for their children some equality of opportunity and genuine freedom of choice of educational institution, without undue financial penalty.

• In 1969, the Gorton Federal Liberal Government began providing per capita recurrent (operating) funding for all non-government schoolchildren, under Education Minister Malcolm Fraser’s ‘20/20′ scheme (20% of standard government school cost was paid by the Commonwealth, + 20% by each State).
• The Australian Parents’ Council now consists of seven affiliates from around Australia representing about 250,000 non-Government school children, of whom approximately 75% are Catholic.
• From 1971, again commencing in WA, Catholic Education Commissions and (later, in 1975) School Boards were established in all States to provide a more professional approach to the problems of administration, accountability and distribution of funds.
• It is important for parents to realise that, despite the welcome establishment of the Catholic Education Commission of WA (and similar bodies) some 17 years after the Federation began the struggle for parental freedom of choice and educational funding justice, the need for grass-roots political pressure is an on-going one – it is not diminished by the establishment of such administrative bodies, and the need now really is as urgent as ever. In fact, because of increasing education costs, the per pupil ‘public spending gap’ between government and non-government school students, in dollar terms, is larger now than it was in 1965; and even the highest-funded non-government school students still only receive funding equivalent to about 70% of real average government school per pupil costs.
• The issue of education funding is primarily one to be debated between taxpayers and their elected Parliamentary representatives – not between Church and State, as has been portrayed by some of our opponents over the years.
• The responsibility for continually exercising political influence must be accepted by school communities and by individual parents, and not just left to non-government school administrators and Church agencies, or the P & F Federation and the Australian Parents’ Council. Letters, Petitions & meetings with MP’s are all useful strategies.
• Archbishop Hickey, as have other Archbishops before him, encourages affiliation with and support of the Parents and Friends’ Federation of Western Australia Inc. In his ‘Introduction to the Federation Handbook’, Archbishop Hickey says “It is my hope that the Federation will remain strongly supported by parents around the State, so that its ongoing contribution to education standards and just levels of Government funding is guaranteed.”

STRUGGLE & ACHIEVEMENT: a history of the Parents & Friends’ Federation of Western Australia Inc. (1954-2004), compiled by Dr. Hal G P Colebatch, MA LLB, PhD, was launched at the June 2007 Annual Dinner and is available for purchase from the Federation office.

Left to right Dr Hal Colebatch, Hon Barbara Scott, MLC, Joe Poprzeczny & Laurie Eastwood

THE WORK OF THE PFFWA

In order to spread its message, keep parents informed and ensure parental input into educational policy development and funding issues, the Federation:

• Has regular meetings with the Director and Deputy Director of the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia (CEOWA.).
• Has nominees on the Catholic Education Commission of W.A., its 3 Standing Committees and some other Sub-Committees, and representatives on the Australian Parents’ Council, the WA Health Promoting Schools Association, the Family Council of WA, the Coalition Against Drugs (WA), the WA College of Teaching, the Rural & Remote Education Advisory Council, the Community Advisory Council on Drug and Alcohol issues, the Curriculum Council’s Senior Secondary Education Committee and its Values Advisory Group and various other Government and cross-sectoral Committees.
• Lodges submissions and responses on funding and educational policy issues and meets with State and Federal Government Ministers, Members of Parliament and representatives of the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education, Science & Training (DEST) and the Western Australian Office of Non-Government and International Education.
• Conducts Conferences and Metropolitan and Country Seminars for Association Members.
• Forwards periodic circulars and newsletters to 127 Affiliated Associations currently operating in 130 Catholic schools in Western Australia, representing over 60000 students and their parents.
• Provides support and resources to affiliated Parents and Friends’ Associations and their elected Office Bearers.
• Maintains an extensive reference library of books, tapes, videos, resource kits and reports on numerous educational, funding and social issues, which are available for loan to Associations and their members.

PFFWA REPRESENTATION ELSEWHERE

 

Parents of Catholic school students in WA are currently represented on the following organisations by a member of the Parents and Friends’ Federation Council or a Federation- nominated person:- Australian Parents’ Council

Members of Management Committee	- Vice President	Shelley Hill
	- Nominated Member	Joe Monterosso

Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia (C.E.C.W.A.)

Nominated Member of Commission

Helen Keogh

C.E.C.W.A. Standing Committees & Working Parties

Religious Education and Curriculum Committee (RECC)		Shelley Hill
School Personnel Committee (SPC)		Joe Monterosso
School Resources Committee (SRC)		Laurie Eastwood

Other Organisations

Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - Working Party (AuSSI)		Patsy Di Prinzio
Coalition Against Drugs (WA)		Joe Monterosso
Curriculum Council of Western Australia		Shelley Hill
• Curriculum Council Senior Secondary Education Committee		Shelley Hill
• Curriculum Council Values Advisory Group		Agnes Weymouth
Family Council of WA		John Barich
Rural & Remote Education Advisory Council (RREAC)		Laurie Eastwood
WA College of Teaching: Board & Administration Committee (WACOT)		Laurie Eastwood
WA Health Promoting Schools Association (WAHPSA)		TBA

PFFWA 2009/20010 COUNCIL MEMBERS & STAFF

Title	Name	Surname	Position
Fr	Don	Kettle	Spiritual Director
Mrs	Shelley	Hill	President
Mr	Joe	Monterosso	Vice-President
Mr	Laurie	Eastwood	Executive Director
Mr	John	Barich	Treasurer
Mrs	Helen	Anderson	Councillor (Bunbury Diocese Representative)
Ms	Philippa	Colgan	Councillor
Mrs	Patsy	Di Prinzio	Councillor
Mr	Robert	Groves	Councillor
Ms	Nicky	Jensen	Councillor (Broome Diocese Representative)
Mrs	Helen	Keogh	Councillor
Mrs	Rita	Panebianco	Councillor
Mr	Darren	Simmons	Councillor (Bunbury Diocese Representative)
Mrs	Peta	Thompson	Councillor (Geraldton Diocese Representative)
Ms	Michelle	Wells	Councillor
Mrs	Agnes	Weymouth	Councillor
Mrs	Sue	Collins	Secretary & PA to Executive Director
Mrs	Claire	Duncan	Administration Assistant

Any financial member of an affiliated Parents and Friends’ Association in a Catholic school in Western Australia may nominate at the Annual General Meeting to be elected as a member of Council.

 

 

 

Councillors’ Profiles

Fr Don Kettle (Spiritual Director)

Fr Don was appointed to the Federation Council in 2007 as Joint Spiritual Director with Fr Tim Deeter, who moved to Sydney to take up a position with Cardinal George Pell mid 2007. Fr. Don was the Director of the Catholic Youth Ministry from 2003- 2006.  He is currently the Parish Priest at Holy Spirit Parish, City Beach.

 

 

 

Shelley Hill (President

Shelley is married to Chris and they have four sons; James, Andrew, Peter and Thomas. The two youngest boys attend St Pius X Primary School in Manning, Andrew is in Year 7 at Corpus Christi, whilst James attends Leeming Senior High School in their AEP and Science and Technology Academy. Shelley is the PFFWA President and the nominee on the Religious Education Curriculum Committee in the Catholic Education Office, the Association’s representative on the Curriculum Council’s Senior Secondary Education Committee and the endorsed Community Representative on the Curriculum Council. Shelley was elected to the PFFWA Council in June 2004. She has a Bachelors Degree in Applied Science (Cartography), a Graduate Diploma in Geographic Information Systems.

Joe Monterosso (Vice-President)

Joe is married to Mary and they have two children, Jonathon & Bianca. Joe has been a member of the

P & F Association at Aranmore C. P. S., Leederville for the past 7 years and is currently the President.

He was educated at Perth Modern School and has a Diploma in Supply Management. Joe works for St. John of God Healthcare as the Warehouse and Distribution Manager.

Joe was elected to the Council in 2005.

 

His interests and hobbies include AFL, golf, playing with his children and collecting things.

 

 

Laurie Eastwood (Executive Director)

Laurie is a Certified Practising Accountant by profession, he has been on the Federation Council since 1975, serving as its President and its nominee on the Catholic Education Commission of WA for some years, and as its Secretary and full-time Executive Director since 1983. He has been a delegate to the Australian Parents’ Council’s Conference and a Member of the APC Management Committee each year since 1976 and was the APC Treasurer for 17 years from 1978 to 1995. From 1996 to 2003 he was a Vice-President of the APC and from 2004 to 2005 he was President, the first Western Australian to be elected to this position.

Laurie serves on a number of groups as a parent representative, including the CECWA Religious Education and Curriculum Committee, the Board of the WA College of Teaching, the Rural and Remote Education Advisory Council, and the Community Advisory Council on Drug and Alcohol policy.

Laurie enjoys wining and dining, music, reading and tennis. He has four adult children and six grandchildren.

 

John Barich (Treasurer)

John is married to Dawn and they have four adult children. One of whom attended Aquinas College, Manning, while the other three were educated in Catholic schools in Canberra. He is also the grandfather of eight. Three of whom attend Holy Spirit School, City Beach. He was educated at Christian Brothers’ College, Leederville, the University of WA and the Australian National University.

He has Economics and Political Science qualifications (BA and MA) and is bilingual in Italian. He has a long background in the Commonwealth Public Service and presently works for various advocacy organisations and as a consultant.

John was elected to the Council in 1987 and was President from 1989 to 1990, Vice President from 1991 to 1993, President in 1994 and Vice President from 1995 to 1997. In the years he was President he was the Federation’s nominated member of the Executive of the Australian Parents’ Council. John has been the Federation’s Treasurer since October 2005.

John has represented parents on the Commonwealth Schools Council and the Curriculum Council of WA. He is the President of the Australia Family Association (WA) and is interested in reading, walking, politics, football and the lay apostolate.

 

Mrs Helen Anderson (Councillor, Bunbury Diocese Representative)

 

Helen lives in Albany with her husband Martin and 3 children and has been involved with the P&F Association at St. Joseph’s College, Albany for 7 years (4 of those as President).

She is a member of the Catholic Womens’ League and a volunteer worker for the Holy Family Parish Kids’ Club.  Helen’s hobbies include playing hockey, sewing, working out at the gym and frequenting coffee houses!

 

 

Philippa Colgan (Councillor)

Philippa is married to Hayden and they have three school aged children and a baby.  The oldest children attend CBC, Fremantle; Iona Primary School, Mosman Park & St Patrick’s School, Fremantle.   Philippa is currently the P&F Association Secretary at St Patricks PS, Fremantle and was the Secretary of the St Patrick’s Primary School Board from 2004-7.  She joined the Federation Council at the AGM this year.  Philippa works for her family Real Estate business in Fremantle and was previously employed as a Community Development Officer, at the Department of Planning and Infrastructure.  She holds a B Sc (Hons) UWA and (MPH) Master of Public Health, Curtin University.
Philippa was educated at Santa Maria College, Attadale and her interests / hobbies include family & friends and planning to exercise…..

Patsy Di Prinzio (Councillor)

Patsy and Claude have four children currently attending Our Lady of Fatima PS, Palmyra & Santa Maria College, Attadale. They have been involved in the P&F Assoc. and/or the Board at OLF over the past 8/9 years, apart from a 2 year stint in Texas from 2004.

Patsy’s earlier employment was as a Mathematical Statistician and she has degrees in Stats and Maths & Computing.
At OLF she has been involved in a number of Art & Craft activities and various freelance projects, as well as with the Playgroup and the Children’s Liturgy of the Word team at OLF Parish.   Patsy has also recently taken on the role of PFFWA representative on the AuSSI-WA Committee.

Robert Groves (Councillor)

Robert has a daughter who attends St Michael’s School, Bassendean and a son who attends Chisholm Catholic College. He has been involved with the School P&F Association and/or Board at St Michael’s since 2003. From 1984-1996 Robert was employed as an Airborne mineral exploration Software Engineer & Research Physicist; 1996-2005 Parent & Casual Programmer [database development] ; 2005- current a Student Pharmacist. Robert has many personal, Professional & Business qualifications. He was elected to the Federation Council at our AGM in 2008.

Helen Keogh (Councillor)

Helen is married to Colin and they have 5 children.  She is involved in the P&F Association at Xavier Catholic School  Hilbert. 
She has worked as a social worker in Health & Education services and is now a self employed Solicitor. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Philosophy (Women’s Studies).

Helen was first elected to the Federation Council in 2001. She was President of the Council between 2004 and 2006.

Helen is our current nominated Member of the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia (CECWA).

Her hobbies include violin, craft, gardening, bushwalking, camping and red wine!

Rita Panebianco (Councillor)

Rita is married to Dean and they have two children, Hannah & Ellie.  Hannah is in year 3 at Good Shepherd Catholic School, Lockridge and Ellie is in Kindy this year.  Rita works at St Peter’s Primary School, Bedford as a Kindergarten Teacher & Literacy Co-ordinator.  In the past her parents have always had a strong and active association with the P&F at St Michael’s, CBC Highgate/St Mark’s and Mercedes College.  She has served on the St Michael’s School Board and assists the Good Shepherd P&F as a volunteer.  Rita was elected to the Federation Council in 2008.

Darren Simmons (Councillor, Bunbury Diocese Representative)

Darren is Married to Jane and they have two children Emma & James.  He  joined the P&F Association at St Brigid’s School, Collie in February 2009 and was elected President.   Darren was then elected to the Federation Council in May this year.  
He is currently the Executive Manager Corporate Services at the Shire of Collie.  He has worked in Local Government as an Officer/Manager for over 20 year with the Cities of Fremantle, Rockingham and Stirling and the Shires of Murray and Collie.

Darren was educated at Safety Bay Senior High School.  He has a Diploma in Local Government (TAFE) an Advanced Diploma in Management (AIM/UWA) & Master of Business Administration (UWA).  His interests/hobbies include IT, Community work (Rotary), chopping wood (He does live in a cold town!!) & learning to be a Dad.

 

Peta Thompson (Councillor, Geraldton Diocese Representative)

Peta and Warren have four children who attend St Lawrence Primary School, Bluff Point.  Peta was the P&F Association fete stall coordinator in 2004, 2005 & 2006.  She is currently the P&F Association Secretary.  Peta was elected to the Parents & Friends’ Federation Council at our 23 May 2009 AGM.  Peta was previously employed as a Laboratory assistant at SJOG Pathology.  She is now employed as a nursing assistant at Nazareth House Aged Care and is currently studying to become an enrolled nurse.  Her hobbies include craft and gardening.

Michelle Wells (Councillor)

Michelle and Lui moved to Perth from New Zealand 4 ½ years ago.  They have two sons who attend Sacred Heart Primary School, Thornlie.  Michelle is enjoying her first year with the P&F Association at SHPS as well as her first year with the Federation (being elected to Council at our 23 May 2009 AGM).  Michelle is currently employed as a bookkeeper having previously been a company accountant in NZ before having a family.  She is half way through completing a Bachelor of Business Studies.  All of Michelle’s education was undertaken in NZ where she attended Arahoe PS, Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School & Avondale College.  She began her part time B of B studies at Unitech Institute of Technology.  Michelle is very interested in keeping up to date with current Catholic education issues.  Her interests include family movie nights, camping trips, strong coffee, red wine & of course chocolate!

Agnes Weymouth (Councillor)

 

Agnes is married to Peter and has three adult children and seven grandchildren. She works at St. Anthony’s School, Greenmount in the Pre Primary. She has been President and Secretary of the P & F Association at St. Anthony’s and on the School Board and Building and Maintenance Committee at La Salle College, Viveash as well as their Fete Co-ordinator.

She has been a member of the Federation Council since 1988 and was Treasurer from 1990 to 2001.  She was elected as the Federation’s first lady President in 2001, and was re-elected as President again in 2002 and 2003. She was the Parent Representative on the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia for seven years until her term expired and is presently a member of the CECWA Early Childhood Education Project Group.

Agnes also represents the Federation on the Curriculum Council’s Values Advisory Group.

 

Agnes is very passionate about helping get parents really involved in their children’s education and promoting the family unit. She believes that families are central to the fabric of our society and the key to a healthy community. She is renowned for her cooking skills, the fruits of which grace many a Council meeting!