Primary school students targeted by anti-Semitic chants
Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity".
The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday.
A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised".
"She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated.
"No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said.
Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern.
"Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said.
Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities.
"Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said.
Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible.
"It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement.
Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians.
"If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday.
"They're not racist, they're not bigots."
Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws.
The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20.
Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts.
Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity".
The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday.
A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised".
"She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated.
"No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said.
Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern.
"Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said.
Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities.
"Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said.
Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible.
"It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement.
Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians.
"If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday.
"They're not racist, they're not bigots."
Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws.
The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20.
Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts.
Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity".
The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday.
A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised".
"She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated.
"No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said.
Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern.
"Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said.
Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities.
"Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said.
Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible.
"It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement.
Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians.
"If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday.
"They're not racist, they're not bigots."
Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws.
The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20.
Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
A state education minister has offered support to a leading Jewish school after a group of 10 and 11 year-old students was allegedly subjected to anti-Semitic taunts.
Melbourne's Mount Scopus Memorial College said a group of grade five children were targeted with intimidating slurs "on the basis of their visible Jewish identity".
The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum on Thursday.
A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left "totally traumatised".
"She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew," the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated.
"No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background," he said.
Mr Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern.
"Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available," he said.
Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities.
"Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues," it said.
Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Mr Sztrajt to convey his "disgust" at the attack on the students and offer every support possible.
"It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play," he said in a statement.
Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe anti-Semitism had become a "norm" for Jewish Melburnians.
"If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful," he told reporters on Friday.
"They're not racist, they're not bigots."
Asked if the state government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Mr Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria's anti-vilification laws.
The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20.
Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Herald Sun
Jacinta Allan work from home law: All your questions answered
Premier Jacinta Allan sparked a whole weekend of conversation when she announced plans to enshrine the right to work from home into law. Under the Australian-first legislation, Victorian workers who can reasonably do their job from home would have the right to do so at least two days a week. However, fuming business figures and puzzled legal experts were quick to point out that the plan was not so clean cut. More than a third of Australian workers – including 60 per cent of professionals – regularly work from home. But will most of us actually be legally protected to work from home two days a week or is this just a political manoeuvre to win votes? Under the proposal, who would be legally protected to work from home two days a week? Workers in both the private and public sector who can reasonably work from home. If you can work from home now, you would likely have the right to work from home two days per week. When would this actually come into place? The Premier has pledged to introduce legislation to parliament next year, prior to the November state election. However, she has not given an exact time frame. This sounds great! But is this actually work? Legally, maybe not. Victoria, like other states, handed its powers over private sector workplace regulation to the federal jurisdiction decades ago. Under s109 of the Constitution, if a state law is inconsistent with a Commonwealth law, the Commonwealth law prevails and the state law is invalid. The Fair Work Act also overrides state laws that regulate conditions of employment. State laws enshrining work-from-home two days a week could therefore face a series of legal challenges and even be considered unconstitutional in the event the laws attempt to legislate in territory ruled by the Commonwealth. My EBA doesn't expire for years and doesn't include a clause outlining two days a week from home. Will I still be able to WFH two days a week? Generally EBAs (Enterprise Bargaining Agreement) are under the Fair Work Act, which can override state laws. If your EBA does not specifically outline that you are able to work from home two days per week, the right will not be automatically afforded to you. What if my employer refuses? We're going to need to wait on more detail to understand what the outcomes could be. However, it could depend on a number of circumstances. Private sector businesses are generally covered by the Fair Work Act, which overrides state employment laws. This will need to be tested in the High Court. Jacinta Allan has flagged that the Equal Opportunity Act – which protects workers from discrimination and harassment – could be used to cover some workers. What are legal experts saying? Legal experts have raised serious concerns about whether this will actually pass court challenges. University of Melbourne's John Howe, who specialises in labour relations, says there was a potential constitutional hurdle. 'There'll obviously be an implementation challenge for companies that are operating across states that have an inconsistent approach,' he said. 'There's the question of what Victoria does to enforce it … what apparatuses is Victoria going to use to try and monitor compliance? 'There'll be people who are opposed to it, employers who are opposed to it who bring the challenge.' Professor Howe, however, says there could be circumstances where employers who dismiss or disregard the new legislation are taken to court on discrimination grounds. 'There might be an argument that if you were declining to provide the (option to) work from home that you might be discriminating against workers who have legitimate reasons,' he said. 'There certainly might be areas where you could claim not recognising the right would be discriminatory.' Why has the government announced this? It's popular! Working from home part of the week is the norm post Covid and working families, particularly working mums, have structured their lives around the flexibility of three days in the office, two at home. It also forces the opposition into a corner. Support it, well they're giving Labor a tick of approval while turning on their business voter base. Oppose it and they risk losing the demographic they desperately need – women. What has the Premier said? Premier Jacinta Allan says the plan is all about working families, giving parents more time to be with their kids while also allowing them to save money by skipping the commute to the office. 'My Labor government will make working from home a right, not a request,' Ms Allan said. 'We will not stand by while workers, especially women, single mums, carers, get punished for needing balance in their lives.' She, however, has also picked a fight with private sector bosses, accusing them of refusing to allow employees to work from home to maintain 'power'. 'This isn't about whether the work gets done, it gets done. How have business leaders responded? Australian Industry Group head Tim Piper called the plan 'pure political theatre designed to wedge the state opposition'. 'The proposal is a serious government overreach that undermines business autonomy and further jeopardises economic confidence in the state,' he said. Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert argued the proposal would only divide workplaces. 'This announcement today simply defies reality and only demonstrates the lack of understanding the current government has on how our economy works,' he said. Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief executive Paul Guerra warned it could force more businesses to flee interstate. 'If Victoria moves away from the legislated national system, businesses will move interstate and jobs will be lost,' he said. What has the Opposition said? State Opposition Leader Brad Battin knows it's not popular to restrict work from home arrangements. He, like all Australians, watched this play out on the national stage at the May election when his then federal counterpart, Peter Dutton, was forced to backflip on his policy to force public servants back into the office full time. He knows he's been cornered and is therefore being cautious. 'We support measures that help Victorians enjoy a better work-life balance, and will review any legislation closely, to ensure it supports flexibility, productivity, and personal choice,' he said on Saturday.
Sky News AU
3 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Genuine Australians' being misrepresented at pro-Palestine protests
Former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger says pro-Palestine rallies are 'full of antisemites'. Mr Kroger told Sky News Australia that 'Jewish hating people' attend the protests to use as 'cover' for their antisemitic views. 'And unfortunately mixed up in that are genuine Australians who get used in these demonstrations.'
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
WFH push is a ‘stunt', claims opposition
Premier Jacinta Allan is 'gaslighting' Victorian residents following her pledge to legislate the right to work from home, the opposition has claimed. On Saturday, the premier announced it would introduce legislation next year to allow residents to work from home – in the private and public sector – for at least two days a week. 'Work from home works for families and it's good for the economy,' she said. 'Not everyone can work from home, but everyone can benefit. 'If you can do your job from home, we'll make it your right – because we're on your side.' Jacinta Allan is pushing to make working from home a legal right for the private and public sector. NewsWire / Nadir Kinani Credit: News Corp Australia However, the plan was criticised by opposition industrial relations minister Tim Wilson on Sky News, who argued the move was 'stunt over substance' and accused the premier of 'gaslighting' the Victorian people. 'I support fundamentally working from home arrangements as part of what works for people,' he said. 'But what the state government is doing is going stunt over substance.' He argued the legislation would not apply for all Victorians, especially those who work in retail, hospitality and on the front line. 'What is obvious to everybody is that teachers, nurses, tradies, retail workers, they're not going to get the benefit from it,' he said. 'So what we have is the Premier gaslighting Victorian employees, but in the process, putting serious risk at jobs in Victoria.' Opposition industrial relations minister Tim Wilson caused the premier of 'gaslighting' the Victorian public. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia On Monday, the Victorian Chamber of Commerce raised concerns over the proposed law and how it could affect productivity levels. The body's chief executive Paul Guerra said the move was 'perplexing' given the Federal Government's focus on boosting productivity levels in the Economic Reform Roundtable, and argued if the state moved away from the national system, there's a risk 'businesses will move interstate and jobs will be lost'. He said the government was doing a 'stunt over substance'. NewsWire/ David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia The Chamber has also raised concerns that the proposal may be unconstitutional if enterprise bargaining agreements are already in place, as they operate under the federal jurisdiction. However, Ms Allan said the state government would undertake consultation with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where they will 'focus on ensuring the law reflects the real-world experience of working from home'. 'This consultation process won't determine whether working from home should be a right,' Ms Allan said. 'We're already clear on that: it should be. We just need the appropriate laws to reflect it.' Speaking to Sky News, Mr Wilson said the proposed law was not possible for private sector workers. '(The Victorian Government) made an announcement that they were going to essentially try and guarantee an outcome,' he told Sky News. 'Since then, lawyers have said, actually, you can't do that for private sector workers. That's covered by federal law.' Ms Allan has been contacted for comment.
