An Actura tour photo posted on the official Merici College Facebook page in July 2023, accompanied by a post that read: “Our NASA Junior Space school update: Day 2 – morning at the hotel for Opening Ceremony”.
Parents of Merici College Canberra students left out of pocket by the sudden liquidation of an educational tour operator say they’re upset at the “radio silence” of their school, which previously sent them emails saying they had partnered with the now defunct company.
Actura Australia, which ran educational camps to places such as NASA since 2014, went into liquidation on 14 June 2024.
A liquidator report published on Thursday (27 June) revealed the company owed creditors across Australia and New Zealand more than $17 million.
More than 600 students who had already paid deposits or instalments worth up to $14,000 for upcoming high school tours were told their trips were cancelled and they would not get refunds.
Some 32 parents from Merici College Canberra were left shortchanged by the company – several of whom have since joined forces to seek answers and support each other.
The Catholic school promoted the Actura programs as “our” tours on its official Facebook page. It recommended the trips to parents in emails, informing them Merici was “partnering” with the tour operator.
However, since the company’s collapse, the school has refused to answer questions from both parents and Region on whether it endorsed or had a contract with the tour operator or how it would assist parents.
Dr Spendlove, who lost $8000 when her 13-year-old daughter’s July tour was cancelled, feels let down.
“Nothing has been handled with tact or any form of empathy,” she said.
“The school won’t communicate with us, the radio silence is infuriating parents … we are disillusioned that the school has treated us in such a dismissive way.”
Felicity Harris, a Merici College parent owed $9000 after paying for her daughter’s 2025 trip to NASA, says schools and regulators can’t wash their hands of the company’s collapse.
“I only got involved with the company because the school sent out an email advertising the tour,” she said.
Another parent, Mrs Singh, expressed similar sentiments.
“Even at the online presentation night, the promotional material and slides were co-branded with Merici College and school reps participated along with the Actura staff. At every junction, parents were [told] it’s a school-endorsed initiative,” she said.
“I feel let down by the way the school has treated us and handled the whole situation [since the liquidation]. It feels very defensive and apathetic, so contrary to what is expected from an academic institution that preaches community values.”
Region has revealed the NSW Government schools’ regulator NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) withdrew Actura’s endorsed provider status in 2020, the same year the company received complaints from parents who did not get promised refunds after Actura cancelled tours due to COVID.
“I wonder what checks and due diligence the schools and regulators in the ACT did,” Ms Harris asked.
She says the school’s administrative body, Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG), should provide answers.
Region asked both CECG and Merici College if they were aware of Actura’s problems in 2020 and if they had done background checks on the company before allowing it to sell its product in the school. We also asked both Merici and CECG if they had a contract with Actura or endorsed its program.
CECG refused to answer any of these questions and referred them to Merici College.
Merici College also declined to answer our questions, with a spokesperson providing this statement: “Merici College is waiting for the liquidator’s report (scheduled for Friday, 28 June) to get a clearer understanding of the situation. We are so surprised and shocked with the liquidation of the company. We continue to support the affected families and students with pastoral care.”
The liquidator’s report had already been provided to schools and parents before Merici College sent Region the above statement.
Mrs Singh said the school’s offer of pastoral care was “unappreciated by parents” who felt it was a “superficial gesture”.
She also wondered if Region’s revelation that the NSW Department of Education was providing full refunds to NSW public school students left shortchanged by the tour operator set a precedent for Merici College families. She said parents have sought legal advice.
Seven families from St Clare’s College in Canberra have also been left out of pocket by the liquidation of Actura Australia.
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