A Crikey reader writes:


I was amazed to read your story about Georgina Downer winning a Chevening scholarship from the British Council. That anyone could be interviewed for this scholarship, let alone actually win it, with a third class honours degree beggars belief given the highly competitive application process.

I have to declare an interest – I was an unsuccessful applicant for this scholarship this year (and in 2003). I was not granted even an interview for the scholarship despite the fact that I have a first class honours degree in law from a Group of Eight university, work at a top three national law firm and have held several leadership positions in student and extra-curricular organisations.

I don’t see the logic behind Georgina Downer being granted an interview with a third class degree, given the number and calibre of applicants for the Chevening scholarships. It’s common knowledge that it’s virtually impossible to win this scholarship without a good first class honours degree (especially in a popular field like law) – then you need a long list of community activities and leadership potential IN ADDITION to your academic results – not as some kind of substitute. This may sound like arcane point-scoring or sour grapes, but these scholarships are incredibly lucrative and attract the best candidates from around the country – you really do need to be the top of the crop. It’s all very well for the British Council to say she shone in her interview, but how did she even get an interview in the first place with such sub-par qualifications?

The whole thing smells. Your points about a possible conflict of interest are well made, but I can’t accept that it ends there given Georgina Downer’s lack of objective qualifications for the award.

I also note that there is a requirement to provide two references in support of one’s application. I would be interested to know whether John Howard or any of his ministers provided a reference to Georgina Downer for use in her application. Well done on getting the scoop on this and please – on behalf of those 350 disappointed applicants – keep on digging!