By VANESSA CHIRCOP
COMMENTS made by Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn in parliament last Wednesday have been labelled as “outrageous”.
Mr Finn called for the Minister for Education Martin Dixon to sack Western Autistic School principal Val Gill.
Mr Finn claimed parents were approaching him saying Ms Gill was disadvantaging their children in order to promote her four year program and was undermining the campaign to bring a P-12 autistic school to the West.
Ms Gill told Star she was “deeply disappointed in Mr Finn’s comments”.
“My focus has always been the kids and will be the children,” she said.
“In over 30 years in educating kids with autism I guess that’s always been where I’ve come from.”
Ms Gill denied that she was unsupportive of the campaign for a P-12 school but would not comment where Mr Finn may have got this impression.
Speaking to Star Mr Finn stood by his comments in Parliament and played down any criticism saying he had the support of several parents.
“I stand up for my electorate in Parliament, that’s what my job is,” he said.
“If there is any criticism that could be justifiably levelled at me it’s that I should have done this five years ago.”
Member for Williamstown Wade Noonan MP called on the government to sanction Mr Finn and apologise to Ms Gill.
