REV. DR. FRED MCKAY AC, CMG, OBE 
15 APRIL 1907 - 31 MARCH 2000
FOUNDER - ST PHILIP'S COLLEGE
Fred's Vision:  In 1958 Fred saw an urgent need to provide residential accommodation in Alice Springs that would allow children to be educated in the Territory rather than travel interstate. 

Fred’s ability to inspire people to help him turn plans into reality was legendary.  Thanks to his vision and commitment (he camped on site while it was built) as well as the hard work of many people, St Philip’s was opened as a boarding hostel in 1965.

The parents of students boarding at St Philips, Indigenous and non-Indigenous,  are upset and angry that the Northern Territory Government has stopped giving boarding grants to non-Indigenous students. We strongly believe  that ALL of our children deserve quality education and ALL of our children deserve assistance to access that education in institutions that provide a safe place for our children and that are also close enough to allow parents to have access and time with our children.  Our whole country is in drought and many of the boarders are station kids and kids whose parents live and work in remote areas, whose parents struggle on the land but still desperately want quality education for their children and to have them close by. We are united and don't want this demarcation between our Indigenous and non-Indigenous students who get on so well together at St Phillip’s College .This was the vision of the founder, the Rev, Fred McKay. 

We ask everyone to lobby the NT Government, Ministers and Members and the Federal Government, Ministers and Members to reverse this decision immediately.