Two students expelled from Yarra Valley grammar for involvement in spreadsheet
Two students from Yarra Valley grammar school have been expelled over a spreadsheet compiled by a group of boys ranking their female classmates, which the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, labelled as “disgraceful” and “disgusting”.
The spreadsheet reportedly ranked girls from top to bottom as “wifeys”, “cuties”, “mid”, “object”, “get out” and lastly “unrapable”.
In a letter, the principal, Mark Merry, said an investigation into the matter has been “complex and time consuming” and could not be rushed.
As a result of these investigations, yesterday I formed the view that the position of two students at Yarra has become untenable and as a consequence they will not be returning to the School. Others, who have played a lesser role in this matter have been subject to further disciplinary action.
Merry said the school is “characterised by respectful relationships most of the time” but “clearly … more work needs to be done” to ensure everyone feels “valued and respected here at school”.
Whilst we conduct regular sessions on respectful relationships and model care and respect in all that we do; this has not been enough. We will be reviewing all of our programmes to ensure that the dignity of all is respected. This needs to be a learning moment for all of us.
The principal said it would be “missing the point” to label the incident as a “Yarra problem” alone, because “sexism and misogyny are ever present in our society and it is the responsibility of all of us … to stand up and make it clear that it is not acceptable anywhere”.
Key events
‘Vibrancy’ reforms on the table for later dining hours in NSW
Fresh “vibrancy guidelines” will be introduced in NSW to make it easier for restaurants and bars that are a reasonable distance from homes to trade later into the night.
The changes come after a handful of residents successfully blocked a restaurant at Sydney’s exclusive Palm Beach from opening in the evening, despite their homes being separated from the venue by a golf course.
Northern Beaches Council in March rejected an application from a newly opened restaurant, The Joey, to open past 4pm after residents living more than 500 metres away complained about potential noise from the licensed premises.
“It really has left people scratching their heads,” Night-time Economy Minister James Graham told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
They’re having to turn people away.
A planned change in legislation, which has been approved by cabinet but is yet to be introduced to state parliament, will apply to bars and restaurants on land 500m or more away from a residential property.
Councils will have to consider a set of “vibrancy guidelines” when assessing certain applications to extend operating hours in those cases.
The guidelines will be developed alongside the state’s 24-hour economy commissioner, Michael Rodrigues, after consultation with councils, stakeholders and the wider community.
These guidelines will really spell out some of the factors that councils should take into account to look after neighbours, but also make sure they’ve got vibrant places.
– Australian Associated Press
Paul Karp
Dreyfus grilled on ministerial delegate’s decision to remove ankle bracelet of community detainee
The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, was earlier today grilled on the controversial decision of a delegate of immigration minister, Andrew Giles, to remove the ankle bracelet from Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, on the advice of the community protection board.
Doukoshkan was arrested in April along with two other men over the alleged assault of Ninette Simons and her husband, Philip, 76, and for allegedly stealing $200,000 worth of jewellery.
Dreyfus told Radio National:
This matter is before the courts … Our thoughts go to the victim of what is obviously a distressing and terrible attack. But I’m not going to comment on a matter where someone has been charged, I’m not going to go to the detail, and that’s where it sits.
Dreyfus said the purpose of the board is “so that independent expertise can be brought to bear on the sometimes difficult decisions of what are appropriate conditions on someone who is in the community”.
Asked if the board is independent, after Clare O’Neil contradicted the prime minister on that point, Dreyfus replied:
I’m not sure exactly why this distinction matters. I’m trying to describe the function of this community protection board which is to assist in making the difficult decisions about what conditions should be placed on someone who is in the community. It’s the same as the kinds of decisions that are made by parole boards at the state level when deciding on conditions to be placed on someone who has been released from detention.
Dreyfus refused to clarify who is responsible for decisions to take ankle bracelets off, replying: “The legislation speaks for itself and anyone can go and read the legislation can see the way in which this community protection board operates.” The answer is the minister or the minister’s delegate (in the case of Doukoshkan).
Yarra Valley grammar spreadsheet reported to Victorian police
Victorian police have confirmed they have received a report in relation to the Yarra Valley Grammar spreadsheet incident.
Police said in a statement that they would assess the incident to “determine if it’s a matter for police”.
The recent matter involving students from Yarra Valley Grammar has been reported to police. Investigators will assess the information to determine if it’s a matter for police.
Two students expelled from Yarra Valley grammar for involvement in spreadsheet
Two students from Yarra Valley grammar school have been expelled over a spreadsheet compiled by a group of boys ranking their female classmates, which the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, labelled as “disgraceful” and “disgusting”.
The spreadsheet reportedly ranked girls from top to bottom as “wifeys”, “cuties”, “mid”, “object”, “get out” and lastly “unrapable”.
In a letter, the principal, Mark Merry, said an investigation into the matter has been “complex and time consuming” and could not be rushed.
As a result of these investigations, yesterday I formed the view that the position of two students at Yarra has become untenable and as a consequence they will not be returning to the School. Others, who have played a lesser role in this matter have been subject to further disciplinary action.
Merry said the school is “characterised by respectful relationships most of the time” but “clearly … more work needs to be done” to ensure everyone feels “valued and respected here at school”.
Whilst we conduct regular sessions on respectful relationships and model care and respect in all that we do; this has not been enough. We will be reviewing all of our programmes to ensure that the dignity of all is respected. This needs to be a learning moment for all of us.
The principal said it would be “missing the point” to label the incident as a “Yarra problem” alone, because “sexism and misogyny are ever present in our society and it is the responsibility of all of us … to stand up and make it clear that it is not acceptable anywhere”.
Peter Hannam
A glimpse at the case for a rate rise by the Reserve Bank today – or soon
Of those calling for one or more interest rate rises by the RBA, only one – Capital Markets – has been bold enough to nominate today for the cycle of pain (for borrowers) to resume.
Abhijit Surya, a Capital Markets economist, told me that “since the [RBA board] meeting in mid-March, there have been a slew of upside surprises in the data, and we just think it will be too much for the bank to just look past all of that”.
At the end of the day, if its job is to bring inflation down – and if it’s said that that’s its main priority – there’s still a good case for it to hike rather than just signal it has a ‘hawkish bias’.
Capital reckons the RBA will able to start cutting rates by the first quarter of 2025 – if it acts now.
Central to the “rate hike callers” is the ongoing strength of the labour market. The labour market can be a bit volatile but it’s hard to look past the 100,000-plus full-time jobs created in the first three months of 2024 alone. Slightly annoyingly for all, we only get the March quarter wage price index figures from the ABS on 15 May – a day after the federal budget – to know if the 4.2% annual pace for 2023 is rising or falling.
Data out yesterday from the ANZ and Indeed, meanwhile, showed the jobs market continues to be pretty buoyant. Ads picked up modestly and remain well above pre-Covid levels.
Another data point that dropped yesterday pointed to the strength of the labour market, with ads up 2.8% in April. They remain well above pre-Covid levels, perhaps a little higher than the RBA board would like to see. (Via ANZ, Indeed.) pic.twitter.com/y0V3EX3Kvk
— @[email protected] (@p_hannam) May 6, 2024
That’s something else for the RBA board to mull over ahead of its 2.30pm AEST decision today. Don’t let your eyes stray from this blog, but return by then if you have to.
Peter Hannam
A glimpse at the case against a rate rise by the Reserve Bank today
That March inflation result revved up the punditry (although it was the first upside CPI surprise in six months, as we noted here).
In the “don’t panic case” are economists such as Stephen Koukoulas, a former economic adviser to Labor PM Julia Gillard. “The economy is still weak and weakening,” he told me this week, pointing to March retail sales that are growing at a record-slow pace (outside the Covid pandemic).
He’s still confident that there will be “more likely than not a couple of rate cuts” this year, and no rate rise before that.
Koukoulas notes the RBA’s February forecasts (we get the updated predictions today) had public demand slowing from 4% growth in 2023 to an annual pace of 2.2% by June and 1.1% by December. (Guess we’ll see what the RBA thinks of next week’s federal budget and a possible spending spree in Queensland ahead of an October election that Labor seems on track to lose.)
Meanwhile, the ANZ/Roy Morgan’s weekly survey finds consumer sentiment still very weak. More noteworthy, perhaps, is the drop in inflation expectations – just what the RBA wants to see. Perhaps all this self-flagellation over a possible rate rise will do the job without a hike.
Shadow treasurer labels $3bn Hecs and Help debt wipe ‘Band-Aid on bullet wound’
Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor says the government’s move to wipe $3bn from Hecs and Help debts through indexation changes is a “Band-Aid” solution.
Speaking to 2CC Breakfast radio, Taylor argued there was no benefit for future students under the changes and by wiping the debt, the government is admitting “prices have gone up faster than wages”.
The truth of the matter is that the purchasing power of people’s pay packets, the purchasing power in their bank accounts, has gone down under this government. And that has caused enormous pain, not just to students, but to everyone. To pensioners, to hardworking families with a mortgage, and the result of that is that Australians are just struggling to make ends meet.
You can’t put a Band-Aid on this bullet wound. You’ve got to go to the source of the problem and deal with it. And that means a government that lives within its means, that makes sure we’ve got those competitive, productive workplaces that can drive real wages upwards, that can deliver prosperity – restore the prosperity that has been lost since Labor has come to power. But there’s absolutely no sign this government is going down that path.
Erin Patterson elects to have case ‘fast-tracked’ to Victorian supreme court trial
Nino Bucci
Erin Patterson’s court hearing has ended, with her case adjourned until 23 May, when she will appear in the Victorian supreme court for the first time.
It was expected that magistrate Tim Walsh, who was hearing her case, would have to decide today whether to move the matter to the Melbourne magistrates court, because of issues with availability in Morwell, or to delay a committal hearing until early next year.
But the court heard Patterson had instead elected to “fast-track” her matter to trial, meaning she will instead skip a committal hearing.
PM concerned about ‘loss of innocent life’ amid reports of Israeli ground offensive into Rafah
Anthony Albanese also responded to reports of an imminent Israeli ground offensive into Rafah. He said the government does not support “the intervention into Rafah” and is concerned about the humanitarian impact.
Palestinians were told to move south in Gaza towards Rafah. The concern which is there is for a loss of innocent life, and we’ve made our position clear, as has the United States, as have all of our partners – Five Eyes partners, such as Canada and New Zealand as well.
We want there to be a sustainable ceasefire … The hostages should be released immediately and unconditionally. That should occur. There is no role for Hamas to play in the future of Gaza but we also very clearly support a two-state solution, along with our like-minded countries.
Albanese: Australia has used all ‘avenues of communication’ regarding flare incident involving China
Anthony Albanese has again responded to reports of a flare incident overnight involving China. He said:
We have made very strong representations at every level to China about this incident, which we regard as unprofessional and unacceptable. Australian Defence Force personnel were going about their job – their job in international waters but also in international skies – to support the United Nations in the sanctions that they have against the North Korean regime.
That is part of Australia being good global citizens, and Australian Defence Force personnel should not be at risk whilst they’re doing that. So, we have a very clear position there. We do have communications with China. That includes visits, and the Chinese premier will be here in June. We will make our position clear as well in discussions, as we do.
Albanese said dialogue with China had “broken down over a period of time” and is very important to maintain:
Dialogue is important – it’s always, always important to have avenues of communication – and that’s why we’ve used all of those avenues of communication to make our position on this incident very clear.
Taking another question, the PM said he could not comment on any motivation regarding the incident.
Peter Hannam
RBA rate rise today would be a big surprise – might they do it?
The Reserve Bank board is in the midst of its two-day meeting to decide what to do with interest rates.
All but one of the economists surveyed by Bloomberg reckon the central bank’s nine-member board will leave its key rate unchanged at 4.35% for a fourth meeting in a row.
That’s despite the March quarter inflation rate coming in slightly higher than expected. The board’s previous meeting in mid-March didn’t consider a case for another rate hike (nor a cut) but they will probably at least weigh up a 14th rate rise in the current cycle this time.
Depending on the language – both within the immediate statement at 2.30pm AEST and then governor Michele Bullock’s media conference starting an hour later – we can probably expect to see a bit of a warning. Unless inflation returns to its desired pace of retreat, we’ll have to hike again, Bullock may well say.
Going into today’s announcement, though, markets reckoned the chance of a rate rise today was 10% or lower. By the ASX’s rates tracker, there’s about a 1:4 chance of an increase by the end of 2024 – rather than the multiple cuts many borrowers were hoping for.
We haven’t heard a peep from Bullock since that previous 17-18 March meeting presser, so it might annoy more than a few people if the board hiked today without a bit of a warning. Then again, it’s what the board did in May 2022, right in the middle of a federal election campaign – much to the dismay of the then PM, Scott Morrison.
Erin Patterson will plead not guilty to all charges, court has heard
Nino Bucci
Erin Patterson, the woman accused of murdering and attempting to murder her relatives by serving them a meal laced with deadly mushrooms, has fronted the Latrobe Valley magistrates court.
Patterson is expected to find out during the brief hearing whether her case will continue in this court in Morwell, or if it will be transferred to Melbourne.
Her lawyers submitted during a hearing last month that Patterson, 49, wished for the committal hearing to be held in Morwell.
The committal hearing is where the evidence against Patterson will be tested for the first time.
She faces three charges of murder and five counts of attempted murder. The court has heard that Patterson will plead not guilty to all charges.
The hearing continues.
Albanese says $519.1m for drought resilience will be in budget
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to the media from Rockhampton in Queensland, where he is attending Beef Week.
He has announced that $519.1m from the Future Drought Fund will be allocated for resilience in next week’s budget, and said:
We held a forum last year that had input from the sector [on], ‘how can we improve the way that the fund operates?’ We know that the fund is important when events occur to be able to assist with recovery. But what we also know is that the science tells us when it comes to climate change there will be more extreme weather events, and they’ll be more intense – whether it be floods, whether it be drought, or whether it be cyclones.
So what we need to do, wherever possible, where it’s appropriate, is to invest in advance to build resilience to work with the farm sector to make sure that spending a dollar today can save not just $5 or $6 down the track, but can also minimise the grief that farmers feel when they go through a drought situation.
Albanese said the “record” funding would be included in the budget next week.
Chalmers hints at further welfare and housing measures
Paul Karp
Circling back to the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, at his earlier press conference, where he also addressed the advice of the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee for a timetable to increase jobseeker. Chalmers said:
We have done more from that first report than I think is broadly acknowledged and there will be additional steps in this budget which are conscious of the recommendations of that important, well regarded, well-informed committee has put to us.
We take it seriously, but we can’t afford to do every recommendation put to us … We need to be a bit cognisant of the budget situation and what we can afford. We don’t want to overpromise and underdeliver.
Asked about housing, Chalmers acknowledged that Australia doesn’t have “enough homes” and the pipeline is “not what we need it to be” – which is why national cabinet agreed to a target of building 1.2m new homes.
Chalmers accepted that “rent is a big part of the inflation challenge” and confirmed there will be “new initiatives for housing” in the budget.
Mexico ‘deeply regrets’ death of Australian brothers
The foreign minister of Mexico has offered her condolences to the parents of Perth siblings Callum and Jake Robinson.
Three people have been arrested on charges of kidnapping after three bodies were found in an area of northern Mexico where the two Australian brothers, and an American friend, went missing.
Mexico’s foreign minister, Alicia Barcena, offered condolences to the men’s parents and her office said it “expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims in the face of this tragic event and deeply regrets the outcome of the events”.
– with AAP
Alleged e-scooter hit and run in Melbourne following AFL match
Victorian police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was allegedly hit by an e-scooter after an AFL match last Friday in Melbourne.
After the match, the 81-year-old woman was confronted by a man on an e-scooter around 11pm, police allege. The man told her to move off the footpath but the woman walked around him, explaining the footpath is not for vehicles.
The woman was then struck from behind by the e-scooter, causing her to fall and lose consciousness.
Police said the e-scooter rider did not stop and was chased by passersby, last seen heading west from the Swan Street Bridge.
The alleged victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries where she is still recovering from the incident.
Police are investigating after an 81-year-old woman was struck by an e-scooter following an AFL match at the MCG last Friday night.
It’s believed the woman was walking towards Jolimont Railway Station when she was struck from behind by the e-scooter. pic.twitter.com/zp812QtAsY— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) May 6, 2024
Police have released CCTV footage and hope to identify the man and speak with him regarding the incident. He appears to have very fair skin with a stocky build, average height, straight blond/brown hair, and grey/blue eyes. He was wearing thick lensed glasses causing his eyes to appear magnified and a red jacket in shiny, waterproof material.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
‘Substantial geopolitical uncertainty a defining influence on budget’: treasurer
Jim Chalmers said that “substantial geopolitical uncertainty” was a “defining influence” on the upcoming budget.
Taking questions from reporters, he said:
Obviously tensions in the Middle East, the ongoing war in Ukraine, combined with uncertainty around the world – this is a really key influence on the way that we’ve come at this budget. This is one of the reasons why we’re getting the budget in much better nick in terms of debt, why we’re investing in the future, why we’re trying to ease the pressures that people are under now, because there’s a lot of uncertainty.
When I was at the G20 and IMF meetings in Washington DC last month, the key part of those discussions was about the geopolitics and what that means for our economy. And so clearly – whether it’s volatility in oil prices because of the Middle East, whether it’s the way that the war in Ukraine and Russian aggression in Ukraine has busted up a lot of supply chains that the world relies on, or whether it’s issues closer to home – it is a really key concern that we have tried to grapple with as a government, a cabinet, and an expenditure review committee as we put the finishing touches on the budget.
Asked about an alleged flare incident involving China yesterday, Chalmers said:
We’ve expressed our concerns to the Chinese government. What we saw here was a very dangerous manoeuvre, unsafe and unprofessional, as the prime minister and defence minister have said.
