标签： Oceania

A Brisbane-based kindergarten has ignited widespread controversy after asking parents to pay A$2,200 (£1,000; $1,400) to take home their children’s art portfolios. The Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool, which recently closed due to financial troubles, framed the request as a fundraiser to address mounting debts, including unpaid staff wages. The folders contained a mix of abstract creations and cherished memories, described as ‘only a parent could love.’ However, the demand has been met with fierce criticism, with Queensland’s leader labeling it ’emotional blackmail.’ The kindergarten’s management, already under scrutiny for governance issues, faced further backlash when a parent allegedly broke into the center to retrieve their child’s artwork. The incident has drawn public outrage, with thousands condemning the move on social media. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli called the request ‘un-Australian’ and ‘wrong on so many levels,’ emphasizing the sentimental value of children’s art. The Department of Education and the Creche and Kindergarten Association (C&K) later intervened, successfully recovering the portfolios and ensuring they are now free for families to collect. C&K condemned the practice of charging parents for their children’s works, reaffirming their commitment to ethical childcare practices.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has been mandated to pay A$150,000 in penalties for the unjust dismissal of presenter Antoinette Lattouf, following a controversial social media post related to the Gaza conflict. The Federal Court ruled earlier this year that Lattouf was removed from her role as a fill-in radio host in December 2023 due to her political stance and pressure from pro-Israel groups. While Lattouf had already received A$70,000 in damages, Justice Darryl Rangiah emphasized the necessity of the additional ‘substantial’ penalty to ensure the ABC learns from its mistakes. The broadcaster has since issued a public apology to Lattouf, acknowledging its failure towards both its staff and audiences. Lattouf’s dismissal sparked widespread public outrage and internal turmoil at the ABC, raising concerns about its independence and support for culturally diverse employees. Justice Rangiah criticized the ABC for surrendering employee rights to appease a lobby group, stating that the public scrutiny should have highlighted the unacceptability of its actions. Lattouf, a seasoned media contributor and activist on issues like racism and mental health, was hired for a week-long stint on ABC Radio Sydney’s Mornings show but was dismissed after three shifts. The decision to remove her was leaked to the media shortly after she shared a Human Rights Watch post accusing Israel of using starvation as a war tactic, an allegation Israel denies but which the International Criminal Court has deemed credible. The ABC claimed Lattouf violated its editorial policy by discussing the war on social media, but Justice Rangiah found no evidence she was instructed not to post. He described her Instagram story as ‘ill-advised’ but noted her dismissal was based on a mere suspicion of policy breach, with no opportunity for defense. The judge also highlighted an ‘orchestrated’ campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists to remove Lattouf from the outset, accusing ABC management of sacrificing her to mitigate criticism. He stressed that penalties should not be seen as a cost of avoiding criticism and criticized the ABC for failing to investigate the leak of Lattouf’s dismissal. The case has had ‘very significant consequences’ for Lattouf, with the court ordering the penalty to be paid within 28 days.

A 61-year-old man, Glenn Gary Cameron, has pleaded guilty to a series of sexual assaults committed in Sydney during the early 1990s, marking a significant breakthrough in a cold case that had remained unsolved for three decades. Cameron, infamously known as Sydney’s ‘Night Stalker’ and the ‘Moore Park Rapist,’ was arrested at Sydney International Airport in February 2023 after detectives utilized advanced DNA and fingerprint technologies to revisit the unsolved cases. He has admitted to more than a dozen charges, including 11 counts of aggravated sexual assault involving the use of a weapon as a threat, targeting eight women between 1991 and 1993. Cameron’s identity was initially suppressed due to a reporting ban, which was lifted three months after his arrest. On Tuesday, he appeared via video link in Downing Centre Local Court, where he pleaded guilty to 13 of the 36 charges he faced. Nine charges were withdrawn, while the remaining 14 will be considered during his sentencing next month. These include multiple counts of indecent assault, aggravated sexual assault, and detaining a person for advantage. One of the victims, who was attacked decades ago, participated in the court proceedings remotely. A 1993 Sydney Morning Herald article revealed that the victims were primarily Asian women aged 17 to 45, with the attacker using simple Cantonese phrases to lure them near train stations under the guise of offering fake jobs before assaulting them at knifepoint, usually at night. The first attack occurred in April 1991 in Strathfield, followed by others in Moore Park.

A senior constable from New South Wales (NSW) Police has been formally charged with assault following an incident at a pro-Palestinian protest in Sydney earlier this year. Hannah Thomas, a former Greens party candidate, claims she was struck in the face by the officer during a demonstration in Belmore on June 27. The altercation left her with severe facial injuries that necessitated surgical intervention. The protest was staged outside SEC Plating, a company accused by demonstrators of supplying components to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), allegations the company denies. NSW Police confirmed that the officer’s employment is under review, and a critical incident investigation—activated when an officer is involved in an event causing death or serious injury—is ongoing. The officer, who faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, is scheduled to appear in court in November. The protest, deemed unauthorized by police, escalated into a scuffle after officers ordered the crowd to disperse. Five individuals, including Thomas, were arrested. Thomas, 35, was hospitalized following the alleged assault and later revealed on Instagram that she might suffer permanent vision loss in her right eye. Initially charged with failing to comply with police orders and resisting arrest, all charges against Thomas were dropped earlier this month, and she was awarded approximately A$22,000 in legal costs. Her lawyer, Peter O’Brien, announced plans to file civil proceedings against NSW Police, citing malicious prosecution, assault, and malfeasance in public office, among other claims. The incident has drawn attention amid the broader context of the Israel-Gaza conflict and its global repercussions.

Australian telecommunications giant Optus is under intense scrutiny following a catastrophic systems outage that left hundreds unable to contact emergency services for 13 hours, resulting in multiple deaths. The incident, which occurred last week, affected more than half of the country, with over 600 emergency calls failing to connect, primarily in South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. Optus CEO Stephen Rue has publicly apologized for the ‘completely unacceptable’ failure, acknowledging that at least three lives were lost due to the outage, including a baby boy. However, police have indicated that the network failure was ‘unlikely’ to be the cause in the infant’s case. Authorities in Western Australia also suspect a fourth death linked to the incident. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) has launched an investigation, criticizing Optus for its delayed response. The company waited 40 hours to inform the public and regulators, contrary to standard practice. Rue attributed the outage to a technical fault during a network upgrade but admitted the company was unaware of the issue for 13 hours. Despite multiple customer complaints, the problem was not escalated promptly. Acma expressed deep concern, emphasizing that access to emergency services is a fundamental responsibility of telecom providers. This is the second major outage for Optus in two years, following a 2023 incident that resulted in A$12 million in penalties. Communications Minister Anika Wells has condemned the failure, stating that Optus will face ‘significant consequences.’ Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has suggested Rue consider resigning. Investigations are ongoing, with Rue promising daily public updates.

A prominent Australian doctor, Chris Webster, who played a pivotal role in the trial of Erin Patterson—a woman convicted of murdering three relatives with a toxic mushroom meal—has faced disciplinary action from the Medical Board of Australia. Dr. Webster, a key witness in the trial, made disparaging remarks about Patterson in media interviews, calling her a ‘heinous individual’ and a ‘disturbed sociopathic nut-bag.’ The board deemed his comments unprofessional and ordered him to undergo ethics, privacy, and social media training. Additionally, he must receive mentorship from another doctor for one year. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) launched an investigation following numerous complaints about Dr. Webster’s explicit language and media conduct. Despite the sanctions, Dr. Webster stands by his comments, asserting that they were based on publicly discussed trial details and did not breach patient confidentiality. He acknowledged the board’s decision but expressed disappointment, stating that the community might suffer due to his reduced availability. Patterson, 50, was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for at least 33 years for the 2023 murders of her in-laws and the attempted murder of another relative. Dr. Webster, who treated the victims before their transfer to a major hospital, remains a practicing GP in Leongatha, Victoria, with strong local support.