Louise Martin takes on presidency of Queensland ICPA

Louise Martin, who took over the reins of the Isolated Children's Parents' Association in Queensland last week, is the daughter of the organisation's patron Patricia Mitchell OAM.

Ms Mitchell, herself a former state and federal ICPA president, was instrumental in forming the Augathella branch in 1973, was inaugural secretary of Charleville School of the Air P&C ICPA branch when it formed in 1976, and is a life member of the Cloncurry branch.

Her daughter Louise, who is a member of the Tambo branch and who joined the state committee in 2013, said ICPA was part of her DNA.

"It's always been a very important cause for me," she said. "I've been hesitant to immerse myself fully because my mother is held in such high esteem but I'm going to give this a red hot go."

A conference motion that her mother brought to her attention that was debated in 1974 and repeated almost word for word at the 2012 conference is an example of why Ms Martin feels there is still such a strong need for the work of ICPA in the rural and remote education sphere.

"Core inequities still exist," she said.

One of those brought up at the virtual state conference run from the Toowoomba Grammar School last week was the fear that because the state and the nation is in a recession, the Living Away from Home Allowance may be decreased if the Consumer Price Index were to continue to decrease.

At present, Brisbane's CPI decreased 2.2 per cent in the June quarter, resulting in a 1pc decrease over the year.

LAFHAS is a financial assistance scheme for rural and remote families for whom boarding school is the only realistic option but it has not kept pace with tuition costs that have steadily increased over the years.

According to the Yaraka-Isisford branch, which presented a motion to the conference last week, the rising cost of boarding school tuition fees has seen the steady erosion of the financial benefit of the scheme.

In 2006, LAFHAS covered 52.6pc of tuition costs but 14 years later it covers 41.9pc, a downward slide of 10.7pc.

The branch thanked ICPA Queensland for its ongoing efforts to secure, firstly, an immediate increase of $4000 to LAFHAS, and secondly, annual increases in line with the CPI education sub-index.

"There is an urgent need for a significant increase in the LAFHAS Remote Area Tuition Allowance," branch delegate Andy Pegler said.

"Swift and ongoing action is required to halt the ever-widening disparity between the cost of tuition and the support that the Queensland government provides to assist families in meeting those costs."

Ms Martin said that apart from lobbying hard on these and other issues in the lead-up to the state election, her focus would be turning to celebrating 50 years of ICPA in Cunnamulla, the founding branch, in June next year.

"I'm looking forward to reinvigorating the brand and bringing a lot of young people in," she said.

"We will also turn our attention to our general lobby, after nearly 12 months of having to deal with COVID-19 and boarding schools.

"We haven't been able to progress other issues but unless there's another massive outbreak, we're looking forward on many fronts."

Wendy Henning and Kate Bradshaw are the organisation's vice presidents for 2020-21, while Kelly Ostwald and Amanda Clark remain as secretary and treasurer.

Sonia Spurdle is the new assistant secretary, after Kim Donaldson stood down after many years, and Melissa Iland continues as publicity officer.

Rob McArthur from central Queensland has joined the committee of Kylie Camp, Jessie Persse, Louise Winten, Michelle Freshwater, and Kasie Scott.

Ms Martin said there was room for two more committee members, who would be very welcome.

Other Tambo members who have served on state council over the past 49 years include another state president Teresa Cobb, who was the branch's founding president, Anne Sanderson, Ruth Thomas, Margaret Brown, Fay Nugent, and Ruth D'Hennin.