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ABC News
12 minutes ago
- ABC News
WA Year 12 students who get a D grade will still pass ATAR and achieve WACE under new reforms
Year 12 students in Western Australia who get D grades will still be able to pass ATAR subjects and graduate from high school, education authorities have announced. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) hopes the decision to allow students to achieve a WA Certificate of Education with a D, rather than a C, will reverse the trend of students shying away from harder subjects. In a statement, the SCSA said the decision was supported by "extensive analysis of student data and research that compared ATAR and general course content and standards". "This showed that a D Grade in an ATAR course equates to at least a C grade in a comparable general course. "Because a D grade for an ATAR course has been confirmed as aligning to a C grade in a general course, the WACE will continue to maintain its established standards as a robust, rigorous and contemporary senior certificate of education." The move has divided listeners on ABC Radio Perth, with Frank describing the decision as "an absolute joke" that would contribute to a "dumbing down of the nation". "How can you possibly reward someone for being incompetent? If you aren't good enough at something you should fail and you should move down," he said. But teacher Lucy said it was unfair that under the current system, some students who tackled ATAR did not get a WACE graduation even when they worked very hard. "Then there are students who go with a different pathway and get a C and they get their WACE graduation because it's easier and different to ATAR," she said. "We have got students in year 12 who are recommended to not do ATAR because they won't get their WACE graduation. Lucy pointed out they would still need to achieve a high ATAR score to get into university. "I think the students who are trying to do ATAR and get a D should be rewarded ... for two years of really hard work." Year 11 student Ella, who is doing five ATAR subjects and a general course, said a C grade in general "is absolutely equal to a D in ATAR" due to the higher workload. "I do so much more work in my ATAR courses than I do in my general and I am comfortably passing my general without needing to do too much," she said. "The amount of effort required for ATAR is so much more than people think. "It doesn't mean they are going to get into the uni course they want but at least they are passing high school. It's absolutely fair." The SCSA said consultation on the changes across the school sector and with other stakeholders "showed support for providing students studying Year 12 ATAR courses with recognition of their efforts". The change will be in place for year 12 students this year.
News.com.au
12 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Manor Lakes retail development fuels Wendy's burgers rumours
US burger giant Wendy's Australian plans have become the subject of increasing rumours for that a third site will likely emerge in Melbourne. The American chain, famous worldwide for its square beef patties and Frosty desserts, is understood to be considering a spot in the soon-to-launch Manor Lakes Park Hub, a large-format precinct being built adjacent to the established Manor Lakes Central in melbourne. This would mark Wendy's debut in Victoria and only its third location across Australia following its 2024 Surfers Paradise opening and an upcoming site in Brisbane CBD. House sells $111k over reserve at 10-bidder auction The brand's master franchisee, Flynn Restaurant Group. also owner of Pizza Hut Australia, is targeting a 200â€'store national rollout by 2034. Construction on Manor Lakes Park Hub began just before Christmas, with hardware giant Bunnings already rising quickly on site. The precinct is scheduled to open in late 2025, with roads, carparks, and pedestrian access already taking shape. Meanwhile, pedestrian access to Wyndham Vale station has been temporarily rerouted during works. Colliers retail leasing expert Nathan Brown said Wendy's seems to be taking its time, adopting a disciplined, siteâ€'first strategy that some competitors failed to uphold. 'There's still room in the market, but only if it's done the right way... fast food operators need to tick 90 per cent of the boxes, demographics, traffic, projected sales, before they'll commit to a site,' Mr Brown said. Outer suburban growth corridors like Manor Lakes are now preferred targets for international chains thanks to expanding population and relatively affordable land. 'The inner metro is too expensive. With land tax and site costs, it's tough to make the numbers work... Growth suburbs still have land and are seeing 10 to 20 per cent population growth, that's what fast food chains are banking on.' Mr Brown said driveâ€'thru access, coâ€'tenancy with major brands, and strong visibility are must-haves in the current market. 'People are creatures of habit, they go where the traffic is and what's on their commute... driveâ€'thru's (are) essential now,' he said. 'If I can feed the family without getting the kid out of the car, that's the brand I'm picking.' The Ballan Rd precinct already houses McDonald's, Hungry Jack's and KFC, setting the scene for fierce competition if Wendy's joins the mix. For residents in Melbourne's outer west, the arrival of Wendy's could mean more choice with the Colliers retail listing expert saying for consumers it's all about value. 'Value and pricing are critical, bundles, meal deals, that sort of thing,' Mr Brown said. In February, developer Ranfurlie Asset Management confirmed to The Herald Sun in February it was in 'advanced negotiations' with several national and international retailers. Petstock is already locked in, and other rumoured contenders include Nando's, Supercheap Auto, and an Ampol service station, while Wendy's remains the headline talk. Though Ranfurlie chief executive Cameron Male wouldn't comment on Wendy's directly, he hinted major brand deals were nearing final stages. 'We are delighted to confirm that we are in discussions with a number of different retailers regarding Manor Lakes Park Hub... We anticipate being able to make some definitive announcements in the next couple of months,' Mr Male said. Mr Male added the precinct will house six large-format outlets and generate more than 350 local jobs, bringing 'much-wanted retail brands' to the region. The Herald Sun has contacted Wendy's for comment.
News.com.au
12 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Australia to buy 11 advanced warships from Japan
Australia will upgrade its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. Australia is in the midst of a major military restructuring announced in 2023, turning towards long-range strike capabilities to better respond to China's naval might. It is striving to expand its fleet of major warships from 11 to 26 over the next 10 years. "This is clearly the biggest defence-industry agreement that has ever been struck between Japan and Australia," Marles said, touting the US$6 billion (Aus$10 billion) deal. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded the tender over Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. "This decision was made based on what was the best capability for Australia," Marles said. "We do have a very close strategic alignment with Japan." Mogami-class warships are advanced stealth frigates equipped with a potent array of weapons. Marles said they would replace Australia's ageing fleet of Anzac-class vessels, with the first Mogami-class ship to be in service by 2030. "The Mogami-class frigate is the best frigate for Australia," said Marles. "It is a next-generation vessel. It is stealthy. It has 32 vertical launch cells capable of launching long-range missiles." Defence industry minister Pat Conroy said the frigates were capable of launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. - 'More lethal' - "The acquisition of these stealth frigates will make our navy a bigger navy, and a more lethal navy," he said. The first three Mogami-class frigates will be built overseas, Conroy said, with shipbuilding yards in Western Australia expected to produce the rest. Australia announced a deal to acquire US-designed nuclear-powered submarines in 2021, scrapping a years-long plan to develop non-nuclear subs from France. Under the tripartite AUKUS pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, the Australian navy plans to acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines within 15 years. The AUKUS submarine programme alone could cost the country up to US$235 billion over the next 30 years, according to Australian government forecasts, a price tag that has stoked criticism of the strategy. Major defence projects in Australia have long suffered from cost overruns, government U-turns, policy changes and project plans that make more sense for local job creation than defence. Australia plans to gradually increase its defence spending to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product -- above the two percent target set by its NATO allies, but well short of US demands for 3.5 percent.
