Ration packs saved $40,000: Vic inquest

Senior army officials recommended a Melbourne college feed students ration packs on cadet camps, saving the school almost $40,000, an inquest into the allergy death of a student has been told.

Scotch College teacher Tony Glover told the inquest into the death of 13-year-old Nathan Francis that ordering the ration packs would save costs and allow students to experience army life.

Nathan died after eating beef satay from a ration pack on a cadet camp in the Wombat State Forest on March 30, 2007, despite providing medical documents noting he had a peanut allergy and should avoid all nuts.

Mr Glover, the commander-in-chief of the cadet camp at the time, said senior defence personnel recommended the ration packs to the school, which subsequently requested the meals.

"Senior people in the cadet corps were insisting that we accepted ration packs," Mr Glover told the inquiry on Tuesday.

"And, therefore, because the food and rations were highly recommended by senior people in the army, there was no other reason for me to think otherwise."

Mr Glover said a colonel "strongly suggested we accept ration packs to cost save and to give the students more of an experience of army lifestyle".

He agreed with counsel for Nathan's parents, Paul O'Dwyer SC, that obtaining the packs free from the army saved $39,000.

But, he said, it was not just about saving money. It was to give students a taste of army life and to keep school fees down.

"It was important not to offload the expenses onto the parents who were already paying fees," Mr Glover said.

"It seemed sensible.

"I thought they were safe and appropriate."

The ration packs were banned from camps after the incident, the inquest heard.

Mr Glover agreed with coroner Audrey Jamieson that teachers were not required to eat the rations.

Mr Glover, who reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army and had been commander of the cadet camps since 1998, said he had never eaten from a ration pack.

He said he consumed a cooked meal on the Thursday night before Nathan's death.

People with allergies are barred from joining the army, the inquest also heard.

Scotch College has introduced a range of measures since the incident to better deal with students' allergies, including meeting with parents of affected students and requiring those pupils to supply their own food and cooking utensils, the inquest was told.

The inquiry is primarily examining the role of Scotch College and Ambulance Victoria response times in relation to Nathan's death.

An investigation into the role of the Australian Defence Force resulted last June in a Federal Court ruling that the army pay a $210,100 penalty over Nathan's death.

The inquest is continuing.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/ration-packs-saved-40000-vic-inquest-20101207-18nqr.html