She must be some might fine designer

[freakiness]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/21/tony-abbotts-daughter-did-not-have-to-pay-for-60000-des...

Tony Abbott’s daughter Frances received a “chairman’s scholarship” for a degree costing more than $60,000 from the Whitehouse Institute of Design where an Abbott donor sits as chairman on the board of governors, Guardian Australia can reveal.

The revelation raises questions for the prime minister over whether the scholarship should have been declared on his interests register.

The Coalition government is also under pressure over changes to higher education funding announced in the budget.

Frances Abbott undertook a bachelor of design at the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney from 2011 to 2013. Guardian Australia has confirmed that she received a scholarship during her time at the institute.

“Frances definitely was a student with us and received a chairman’s scholarship,” Leanne Whitehouse, director of the Institute told Guardian Australia. She declined to detail how many times the “chairman’s scholarship” has been awarded previously, but the institute’s website makes no references to the scholarship and states the institute “does not currently offer scholarships to gain a place into the Bachelor of Design”.

[boris1gary]

pfffft is there no end to the blue ties list of entitlements.

[cherry*135]

No 6% interest on a $60 000 education loan there then.

[freddie*rooster]

Just another Tax payer funded expense, and he didn't even need to ride his bike.

[fourandsixpants]

I would love to see some examples of Frances designs.

I do think it unfortunate that Mr Abbott wants to hike up Uni Hex interest on fees owing......for all Australians.

I guess when you have contacts like this you would be laughing all the way to the bank.

[debra9275]

hmmmm interesting isn't it??

[freakiness]

more from same article...

The Whitehouse Institute of Design is a private provider of higher education that seeks accreditation for courses from the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, an independent statutory body that approves higher education courses.

While the agency is independent from the federal government, and there is no suggestion that the scholarship affected the decision regarding its accreditation, involvement of a federal regulatory agency raises questions over whether the scholarship should have been declared by Abbott.

The Whitehouse Institute’s website says the school “does not currently offer scholarships to gain a place into the Bachelor of Design.”

But it adds that “at the discretion of Whitehouse, a scholarship for further study may be offered during the academic year to students who have formally commenced their studies and show exceptional ability and dedication”.

In 2011 the annual fee for the bachelor of design was $21,736. The length of the degree is three years, studying full time.

Leanne Whitehouse did not respond to questions about whether Frances Abbott was offered the scholarship in accordance with the school’s policy, or how many scholarships were awarded each year.

[the_great_she_elephant]

I don't think the Whitehouse Institute is doing the poor girl any favours by refusing to say how many of these scholarships have been awarded or to name any of the recipients. Rightly or wrongly it creates the impression that it was a one-off scholarship speciifically created to pay the fees of  one particular student. 

[cherry*135]

Sort of on topic - re private education.. there were NO cuts to private schools in the Budget.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

While I think she has every right to a scholarship if it is earned, I think it would have been wiser for Abbott to to offer to pay her fees so she could refuse it.

That's working on the assumption that he isn't paying her fees for whatever reason.