Principals' new powers in school crackdown
The Allan government has announced sweeping new powers for school principals across Victoria, allowing them to take further action for student behaviour outside school grounds and online.From the first day of term 3 this year, principals across Victorian schools will have expanded powers to suspend or expel students for behaviour outside the school gates and behind a screen. Victorian principals will be granted the power to suspend or expel students for behaviour outside school or online. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia
The change in powers is in line with NSW and South Australia, which have implemented such capacities for principals to suspend, exclude or expel students for behaviour that could affect student and staff safety.
It is also in response to an increase in online abuse and harassment among students, particularly online, including deepfakes and AI-generated images.
In February, police launched an investigation after a 'number of sexually explicit, digitally generated images of teenage girls who attend Gladstone Park Secondary College were circulated online'. The Allen government will introduce the new powers in term 3. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia
Education Minister Ben Carroll said the change would 'send a clear message that harmful behaviour outside of school or online has consequences'.
'In Victoria, community safety comes first,' he said.'The safety of students, teachers and school staff is our top priority – we're investing in programs that foster more respectful schools and acting to protect school communities.
'This builds on our nation-leading ban on mobile phones in schools and our support of a social media ban for kids – keeping kids safe in the classroom and online.' The new powers aim to crack down on bad behaviour outside school grounds and online. NewsWire/ David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia
As part of the sweeping new powers, $4.2m will be invested to offer support for victims who experienced sexual harm and abuse from another student – either online or in person – through Sexual Assault Services Victoria. The state budget also allocated $10.4m to expand the Positive Behaviour Support program, which teaches students appropriate behaviour, develops safe learning spaces and offers support for students who require behavioural assistance.
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Victorian Liberal Moira Deeming wrote to former opposition leader John Pesutto, his successor Brad Battin and Victorian Liberal president Philip Davis on Sunday with a series of demands to spare Mr Pesutto bankruptcy. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis who gatecrashed a Melbourne rally she attended in 2023. A bankruptcy notice was served to Mr Pesutto on Friday, leaving him 21 days to pay the debt, sign up to a payment arrangement or face bankruptcy. Bankruptcy would force his exit from Victorian parliament, setting up an expensive by-election in his marginal state seat of Hawthorn in Melbourne's east. In her letter to the trio, seen by AAP, Mrs Deeming said she was "dismayed" the state party was considering an approach from Mr Pesutto to meet his financial obligations to her. 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"I have suffered through a gruelling two and half years where almost every offer I made to negotiate a settlement was rejected," she wrote. "This is my final attempt to spare the Liberal Party further harm and to afford Mr Pesutto, and his family, the dignity that was denied to me, my husband and my children." One senior Liberal told AAP it was "outrageous" to attempt to use the pair's long-running dispute to secure preselection. Liberal preselection is traditionally completed through a vote of rank-and-file members, with the process for the next state election in November 2026 expected to begin from September. AAP has also been told the money raised by Mr Pesutto was conditional on the party lending him the rest, about $1.5 million, which he has vowed to pay back with interest. The party's administrative committee is expected to meet to discuss Mr Pesutto's request on June 19. Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto were contacted for comment.
