Sydney’s Cranbrook school to hold review of handling of child safety concerns
Private boys’ school Cranbrook has announced an independent review into the school’s handling of serious child safety concerns following the resignation of its high-school’s headmaster Nicholas Sampson.
In an update sent from the Cranbrook School Council to its community following “the events” of last week, the council says the teacher alleged to have sent multiple graphic emails in 2014 to a former female student is still on leave.
Inquiries are ongoing.
The school council understands that there is significant work required to maintain the confidence of the school community.
AdvertisementsAdvertisementsOur priority is to ensure that students experience minimal disruption and that our staff are fully supported. The school council believes strongly in the quality and integrity of Cranbrook’s educational programs and the excellence and commitment of its staff.
Advertisements
The School Council will soon start the search for a new head of school.
It will also establish an external avenue to report “serious concerns”, available to current and former staff, students and parents, commission an external review of the school’s handling of serious child safety matters since 2010 and review its policies and procedures.
Key events
Peter Hannam
As for a release on health grounds? “Theoretically, if Yang Hengjun complies to the [court] ruling” and serves his sentence “without making further problems, no further crimes, there’s a chance he will not be executed”.
Asked about former Paul Keating’s often scathing assessments of Australia’s current stance towards China (including by the Albanese government), Xiao said the former Labor PM was a “great leader” and a “great statesman”.
Xiao said he had met Keating on “several occasions”. “I don’t see Mr Paul Keating as really pro-China … I have a very strong impression that [he] is pro-Australia”.
Xiao didn’t buy into what a re-election of Donald Trump as US president would mean for Sino-US ties, and addedt it was “not true” that China wanted to drive the US out of the Pacific.
“The Pacific is big enough, the world is big enough” for China and the US to coexist peacefully, he said.
There was no mention of Taiwan (and very little of it in Chinese Premier Li Qiang‘s annual report to the National People’s Congress in Beijing last week). Perhaps that’s a topic for another day.
China’s ambassador says jailed Australia dissident Yang Hengjun’s health is “not perfect”
Peter Hannam
Xiao Qian, China’s ambassador to Australia has been speaking at the AFR’s business summit in Sydney. (His intro was so brief Xiao felt the need to mention he was “a seasoned diplomat” who had worked in “so many different countries”, including the past two years as Beijing’s envoy to Canberra).
Xiao made the expected comments about China’s GDP growth target of 5% for 2024 was “not high and not low”, and indeed was the “proper” rate to be sustainable speed. (Economists are dubious about whether China can easily shake off its property sector woes that are dimming consumer confidence. They expect some consumer-targeted spending policies later in the year. Let’s see.
Australia has been keen to see remaining (anti WTO) trade tariffs on wine, lobster and some red meat exports removed, or it may have to go to the World Trade Organisation afterall. Xiao would only say Chinese authorities are now “reviewing and investigating those tariffs”, and that things were “moving on the right track and in the right direction”.
The AFR’s Phil Coorey did press Xiao on the fate of jailed Australian Yang Hengjun, who had recently been given a suspended death sentence in a closed court.
Xiao said Yang was an “individual judicial case” that should not disrupt overall relations between the countries. He said Yang had committed “espionage crimes” that would be serious in Australia. (Yang’s supporters say the writer has been held for his pro-democracy activities.)
Xiao said he could “understand” reaction in Australia from the government, public and the media because Yang had joint Australian citizenship “for certain purposes”. (This is a bit hard to understand as Yang became an Australian citizen in 2002, and by Chinese law, people can’t hold dual citizenship.)
As for concerns about Yang’s health, Xiao said “as far as I learned”, Yang’s health was “not perfect” but his health problems were not necessarily as has been described by his relatives. (They view them as very dire.)
“We have professional doctors looking after him,” the ambassador said. “We make sure that his basic medical care and his basic rights are being protected and guaranteed.” Australian diplomats, Xiao said, were making regular visits.
More to come in the next post.
Daniel Hurst
Analysis: Greens maintain pressure on government to resume UNRWA funding
From the beginning, the Australian government has emphasised that the allegations against UNRWA staff were “grave”. Last week, Australia set out its demands: “a clear commitment” that UNRWA would heed recommendations from investigations and “internal reforms with clear timelines”.
Australia has also been urging Israel to share the underlying evidence against the UNRWA staff (most of whom the agency sacked in January; two others were reported dead).
At the same time as the government faces internal pressure to resume funding, the Greens are attacking it over its handling of the issue and the time taken to resume funding. The deputy leader of the Greens, Mehreen Faruqi, added to that pressure in a statement overnight:
How many more horrifying images of famine-like conditions and starved Palestinians does the Labor Government need to see to restore life-saving funding to UNRWA?
Daniel Hurst
Resumption of UNRWA funding by Canada, Sweden could give Australia ‘diplomatic cover’ to follow suit
Let’s return to an issue my colleague Josh Butler brought to you earlier today. He reported on growing expectations Australia might soon resume funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the wake of similar decisions by Canada and Sweden. How did we get to this point and where to from here?
UNRWA – in operation since 1950 – provides a range of education, health care, relief and social services to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Australia, the US and the UK were among more than a dozen donors to suspend funding to the agency in late January, after the Israeli government alleged that 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on Israel.
Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters
From the beginning, the Australian government characterised this as only a “temporary” pause. It affected about $6m in emergency top-up funding that the foreign minister, Penny Wong, had announced in mid-January (not the $20m in Australia’s core funding for the 2023-24 financial year that had already been delivered prior to the accusations).
Within days of the pause being announced, Guardian Australia reported the Australian government was in talks with close allies and was considering conditions to reinstate funding to UNRWA in light of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza during Israel’s military operations. On 1 February, Wong gave a strong signal that resuming funding was the desired direction of travel, describing UNRWA as the only realistic route “if we are serious about trying to ensure that fewer children are starving” in Gaza. She described the coordination with allies as “urgent”.
However, it took another five weeks for Canada and Sweden to resume funding. These moves are widely seen as giving Australia some diplomatic cover to follow suit, and it is safe to assume this is the most likely option. However, it is understood the Australian government has yet to make a decision on the matter.
Caitlin Cassidy
NSW police again appeal to public for information about missing 12-year-old boy
Following this morning’s press conference, NSW police are again appealing for information related to the search for a vulnerable 12-year-old boy in Auburn.
Following inquiries, police believe Hussein Al Mansoory may have been in the vicinity of Norval Street and Hevington Road, Auburn, at about 9pm on Saturday.
His last confirmed sighting was at 10.30am that morning, when he was seen running from Auburn Memorial Park towards the intersection of Station Road and Rawson Street.
Police said:
Police and family hold very serious concerns for Hussein’s welfare as he lives with down syndrome, autism, is nonverbal and has not been sighted for two days.
Hussein is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, of slim build, about 140cm tall, with short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and a nappy/diaper. Hussein is not wearing any shoes.
Hussein may be scared of strangers and run away if approached, police recommend if anyone sees Hussein to immediately contact triple zero.
NSW also examining equity, accessibility of community mental health outpatient care
A parliamentary inquiry is also examining the equity and accessibility of outpatient community mental health care in NSW.
It has heard existing funding arrangements are creating perverse incentives for practitioners to spend less time with patients in need of services.
Consultant psychiatrist Karen Williams told the inquiry per-patient Medicare gap payments encouraged managers to push general practitioners towards shorter sessions and the current funding arrangements needed rethinking.
The Fully Fund Mental Health campaign, backed by leading mental health groups, is calling for year-on-year increases, a dedicated revenue stream to provide ongoing funds for services and priority funding for community-based programs for at-risk groups.
These include rural, regional and remote communities, economically disadvantaged communities and young people.
Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists NSW chair Angelo Virgona said other states were powering ahead on mental health reform.
“NSW is being left behind to the detriment of all its citizens,” Virgona said.
– Australian Associated Press
NSW Funding fix needed to help dire mental health system
Leading organisations are calling on the NSW government to invest in a mental health care system that is on the brink of collapse because of long-term underfunding.
Despite enjoying the largest budget, data shows NSW has invested the least per capita in mental health services over the past three years compared with other states and territories.
Rates of psychological distress have almost doubled over the past decade yet funding has not kept up.
Mental health represents 15% of the total burden of disease in the state but only receives five per cent of overall health-care funding.
Multiple advocacy groups, including the Black Dog Institute, the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses NSW and the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists have launched a campaign for funding to meet community demand.
Black Dog Institute chief scientist Samuel Harvey says:
The fact is the NSW mental health system is critically underfunded and on the brink of collapse.
Across the state, we are seeing mental health services stretch to their limits, the mental health workforce is burnt out and people who need help are falling through the cracks.
– Australian Associated Press
(More to come on this in the next blog post)
Paul Karp
Albanese: Coalition’s promotion of nuclear energy an ‘alibi for inaction’ on climate crisis
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is launching Labor’s Tasmanian state election campaign in Launceston.
Albanese said the Coalition’s claim to want civilian nuclear energy is not a plan to do something but an excuse to do nothing (to combat climate change), labelling it an “alibi for inaction” and a new form of denial.
He says:
In fact, nuclear energy is a lot like the Liberal Party. No help to anyone today. Completely wrong for Australia’s future and notorious for waste that takes forever to clean up. Labor is the party of the light on the hill. The Liberals just want us to glow in the dark.
Sydney’s Cranbrook school to hold review of handling of child safety concerns
Private boys’ school Cranbrook has announced an independent review into the school’s handling of serious child safety concerns following the resignation of its high-school’s headmaster Nicholas Sampson.
In an update sent from the Cranbrook School Council to its community following “the events” of last week, the council says the teacher alleged to have sent multiple graphic emails in 2014 to a former female student is still on leave.
Inquiries are ongoing.
The school council understands that there is significant work required to maintain the confidence of the school community.
Our priority is to ensure that students experience minimal disruption and that our staff are fully supported. The school council believes strongly in the quality and integrity of Cranbrook’s educational programs and the excellence and commitment of its staff.
The School Council will soon start the search for a new head of school.
It will also establish an external avenue to report “serious concerns”, available to current and former staff, students and parents, commission an external review of the school’s handling of serious child safety matters since 2010 and review its policies and procedures.
Kate Lyons
Antoinette Lattouf ‘prone to exaggeration’, not a ‘reliable historian’, ABC lawyer says
Antoinette Lattouf has been accused of being “prone to exaggeration” and someone who “has not shown herself to be a reliable historian”, according to the lawyer representing the ABC in the journalist’s unfair dismissal claim.
Ian Neil made the comments about Lattouf, who is currently taking an action against the ABC in the Fair Work Commission, during his closing submissions.
Earlier this morning, Lattouf gave evidence for the first time, telling the Fair Work Commission that an inability to work for the ABC would have a “significant effect” on her ability to get other work as a journalist.
Lattouf was asked about a conversation she claims she had with ABC content director Elizabeth Green on her way out of the ABC building after being told she was not required to come back for the final shifts of her December contract. Lattouf said she told Green she was worried “I’ll never work for the ABC again”.
Neil grilled Lattouf for more than an hour in a tense cross-examination, that saw frequent objections from Lattouf’s lawyer Mark Gibian.
Neil argued that Lattouf had not been dismissed by the ABC in December, but rather had been told she would not be required to present the final two shifts of Sydney’s Mornings radio program. Lattouf disputed this, saying that she had been told by ABC management: “words to the effect of ‘we’re taking you off air’.”
Lawyers for the ABC and Lattouf are currently giving closing arguments, with the case expected to conclude today.
NSW police don’t believe case of missing 12-year-old anything ‘sinister’
Auburn unit commander of the SES Jamie Newman says there’s nothing to suggest anything “sinister” has contributed to the boy’s disappearance.
At this point we’re dealing with it as a boy who’s wandered off. However, from the get-go, our detectives have been involved, we’re reviewing CCTV, we’re doing canvassing of CCTV.
So, we have always got that in the back of our mind. We’re not going to lose time in case it does go that way. However, at this point we’ve got nothing to suggest it’s anything sinister.
His family have been involved in the search and are in regular contact with SES and the police. There is someone waiting for him at home in case the boy returns.
Police ask public to call Triple 0 if they see missing 12-year-old Hussein Al Mansoory
CCTV near the train station when the boy went missing showed him wearing a nappy and t-shirt, wandering around alone.
Asked if it is “disappointing” nobody assisted the child when he was in a vulnerable state, superintendent Simon Glasser says “all I can ask for now is if people do sight him they call 000”.
Glasser:
Obviously, the footage of him just in a t-shirt, a nappy, no shoes, just shows how vulnerable he is. So if anyone does see him, we ask they call Triple 0, maintain visual contact, visual sighting of him, and stay on the phone to Triple 0. We ask that you don’t necessarily approach him directly because that could cause him to run off again.
No new sightings of 12-year-old boy missing in Western Sydney
The boy went missing from home but was last seen at a local park around 10.30am on Saturday, Glasser says.
The park was in the vicinity of Auburn railway station.
Glasser:
We have had several other possible sightings and we have been looking into all of those but our last confirmed one was when he first went missing around the railway station.
Amid hot weather, Glasser says 48 hours would be a “struggle for anyone”, adding that the priority is for anyone who has seen the boy to get in contact.
Almost 70 personnel were working until midnight yesterday, while almost 100 are active today.
Hot weather, NSW boy’s vulnerability means his disappearance a ‘high-risk’ case
This is as “high risk as it gets” for a missing person, Glasser says.
There have been several calls of possible sightings of the boy, but none have been confirmed.
The boy is fond of a particular type of music which has been played in the area in the hope of coaxing him out, while drones are also assisting in the search.
Glasser:
We’re highly concerned. This is as high-risk as it gets for us with a missing person. He’s 12 years’ old, he’s got special needs, and he’s been out and about by himself for 48 hours now. So it’s as high-risk as it gets … it’s already at a critical point, we’re throwing everything we have at it.
Asked how the family are holding up, Glasser says they are “quite distraught” and “frantically looking for their son”.
NSW police ask businesses to check their premises for missing 12-year-old boy
Police are providing an update on the missing 12-year-old boy in Western Sydney.
They are still searching for the boy, with “all our resources out” including police specialists, the SES and local resources.
Asked if there’s been a change in strategy, superintendent Simon Glasser says “not too much has changed there other than being a Monday now”.
A lot of our businesses, building sites, are open. So we’re just asking anyone that has common areas, emergency exits, areas that could hide a young child that they get those areas checked.
We’ve got numerous specialist police. Search coordinators, public order police assisting in the search … we also have our dog unit on stand-by if we have possible sightings.
Anyone with a large premise with fire escapes or access areas difficult for the public to see has been asked to search their properties.
Byelection for Scott Morrison’s seat of Cook to be held 13 April
We have a date for the Cook byelection, which is likely to be relatively straightforward after the departure of former prime minister Scott Morrison.
It is currently a very safe Liberal seat, on a margin of 12.5%.
Management consultant Simon Kennedy won the Liberal pre-selection for the seat, beating mayor Carmelo Pesce, while Labor is not expected to put forward a candidate.
Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Pollsters will cast their vote on 13 April – just over a month away.
Cook byelection to be held on 13 April. Going to be a quick campaign in what is expected to be a walkover for Liberal Simon Kennedy. pic.twitter.com/HlmCZTFetC
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) March 10, 2024
Pitch Music organisers arrange free buses for patrons after festival cancelled
Attendees are beginning to return from Pitch Music and Arts Festival in Victoria after it was cancelled due to extreme fire danger.
Following consultation with authorities, Pitch organisers posted notices on social media on Sunday night saying everyone at the site had been advised to pack up and depart that night or early on Monday.
Free busses were running to Melbourne on Monday morning, with additional shuttles running to Ararat station until 6pm.
Friends and family had expressed frustration at being unable to contact patrons due to a lack of phone service in the area. Organisers initially delayed programming on Saturday, replacing music acts with “light entertainment” including yoga.
Search continues for 12-year-old boy missing in Western Sydney
New South Wales Police and NSW SES will address the media in the next hour as the search continues for a missing 12-year-old boy in Western Sydney.
Dozens of emergency service crewsspent the night searching for the young boy, Hussein Al Mansoory, who was last seen running from Auburn Memorial Park towards the intersection of Station Road and Rawson Street at about 10.30am on Saturday.
There are serious concerns for his welfare as he has Down syndrome and autism and is non verbal.
A large multi-agency search will continue today, with officers assisted by NSW SES, the Public Order & Riot Squad (PORS), PolAir and the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit.
Superintendent Simon Glasser and Auburn Unit Commander Jamie Newman will address the media in Auburn at 11am.
