Palmer has questions to answer regarding MSO donations

Minister Jo Palmer has serious questions to answer regarding a series of donations made to the Department of Education, Children and Young People relating to the Multi-School Organisation (MSO) education model.

DECYP’s Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Register shows that in the past two years, $196,000 worth of “sponsorship” was provided to the department to embark on “study tours” to understand the model.

On 9 September 2025 – mere months after $150,000 of that “sponsorship” was handed over in May and July 2025 – the Tasmanian Government announced a trial of the MSO program would take place.

Questions the Minister must answer today include:

• Was her trip to the UK, or that of any of her staff, covered by all or part of these disclosed sponsorships?
• How much will the McKinnon Foundation receive in return funding from the State Government relating to oversight, evaluation or monitoring of the trial?

The education of Tasmania’s students builds our future. Any reform needs a considered approach and support from the sector, not a Minister plucking a pet project from overseas after a highly sponsored study tour.