If you have any information about this story, contact Gifts policy at odds with public service directiveĮducation Queensland has defended the practice of teachers receiving gifts, saying the acceptance of a gift or benefit was assessed on an individual basis and teachers were not to accept gifts or benefits that were intended to influence the independent and impartial performance of their duties. The ABC does not suggest any of the teachers who have declared receipt of the gifts have acted inappropriately. 'Due to its personal nature the Department of Education cannot provide any further information about this matter,'' a spokesperson said. The department said that an incident where a teacher was gifted $500 cash by a student's family had been allowed because the delegated approving officer was satisfied that exceptional circumstances warranted its acceptance. It said the robotic vacuum cleaner was also gifted by a student's family to a teacher as an 'end of school year appreciation gift'. Teachers must register gifts that cost more than $150. The register said the pair of Air Jordan 1 Retro OG Satin Red women's shoes were declared as being given by a family as an 'end of school year appreciation gift'. The six Kiss tickets were gifted by a parent to an Education Queensland employee to be distributed to school staff 'to promote RUOK day', the department's register said. In the case of the yoga classes, the department's declaration states that two 12-month yoga memberships worth $1,500 each were gifted to teachers because a 'parent owns the company and believes the wellness benefits offered are beneficial to the teachers'. In many cases, the reason listed for giving the gift was for a life event or end-of-year appreciation.

Most of the gifts were from parent groups, but some were from individual parents. Yoga memberships, shoes as 'end-of-year appreciation' gifts The ABC has found more than $60,000 worth of gifts were listed in the past 18 months as being given to teachers. 'It leads to, 'Oh, he got to be captain of the football team or a prefect because his parents gave $2,500',' Mr Whitton said. Mr Whitton is a former ethics adviser to the Queensland government and was involved in writing the original Queensland legislation on public service ethics and whistleblowing. 'The conflict-of-interest risks could lead to a cash-for-grade scenario and a potential arms race between parents,' he said.Įthics adviser Howard Whitton has questioned parents giving gifts to teachers.

The scenario has been described as concerning by veteran ethics expert Howard Whitton, who questioned why gift-giving to teachers was being allowed. That says 'gifts other than a token or a memento must not be accepted unless it can be shown to be of benefit to the agency'. It's just a sample of the tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts Queensland state schoolteachers have declared they received from parents in the past 18 months.Įducation Queensland managers say the gifts, which have all been approved by supervisors for acceptance, are permissible under public service policies.īut an ABC examination of the gifts handed to teachers in the past 18 months has found their receipt may breach the enforceable regulations of the Queensland Public Service Commission. A robotic vacuum cleaner, holidays, cash, gift cards, perfume, jewellery, $1,500 yoga classes and Air Jordan sneakers.

Gifted healthcare payroll