Education advocates call for mandated national guidelines for student boarding providers

Advocates say a lack of mandated standards is putting vulnerable children at risk. (ABC Western Qld: Victoria Pengilley)

Education advocates are calling for urgent legislation of boarding standards amid fresh child mistreatment claims at an outback Queensland hostel. 

First Nations children who boarded at the Alice River Student Hostel in Barcaldine have told the ABC they were abused and assaulted, poorly fed, left in the care of other children, and forced to work for free in the operator's tourist business.