Latest news with #Parkville
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Law professor at centre of leaked email controversy claims University of Melbourne suspended him because of his political opinion
A University of Melbourne law professor who claimed ''Blak' activists' were leading the prestigious institution to 'destruction' alleges he has been suspended because of his political opinion. Guardian Australia on Saturday revealed that Dr Eric Descheemaeker is suing Australia's top-ranked university for discrimination. The legal action comes after a 2023 email written by Descheemaeker to the then head of the Melbourne Law School (MLS) was leaked and posted around the university's Parkville campus last month. Descheemaeker alleged the University of Melbourne had taken adverse action against him by suspending his employment due to his 'political opinion', court documents show. Descheemaeker argued this is in contravention of section 351 of the Fair Work Act, which stipulates an employer must not take adverse action against an employee because of a range of attributes including a person's race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, religion or political opinion. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Descheemaeker alleged the university will terminate his employment because of his political opinion unless it is 'restrained from doing so'. The federal circuit and family court heard on Friday the university would not terminate Descheemaeker's employment or take any adverse action until his injunction application had been determined. Descheemaeker also alleged the university has breached section 340 of the legislation, which says a person must not take adverse action against another person because the other person has a workplace right or has, or has not, exercised a workplace right. Asked why the university has suspended Descheemaeker, a spokesperson referred to a previous statement by the dean of MLS, Prof Michelle Foster. 'Professor Descheemaeker is an employee of the university and it would be improper to comment on this employment matter,' Foster told Guardian Australia last week. Descheemaeker's leaked August 2023 email was sent in response to the announcement of an Indigenous cultural safety review at the university. MLS was 'celebrating the 'noble savage'', he wrote in the email, likening the law school to an 'ideological re-education camp'. Descheemaeker wrote that there was 'absolutely no end to where 'Blak' activists are meaning to take us – except destruction'. In an email sent to MLS staff last month, Foster said 'sensitive correspondence' from August 2023 had recently been posted on campus noticeboards and social media. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'I acknowledge that staff and students who read the notices may have been offended or upset by its contents,' Foster said in the email, viewed by Guardian Australia. Foster said the university had taken immediate steps to remove the correspondence and was investigating how it came to be posted on campus. 'I affirm my steadfast commitment to supporting a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-faith community.' She said she was committed to ensuring cultural safety at the MLS and supported the 'important work under way in this regard'. Last week, Descheemaeker's lawyer said their client was unable to comment at this stage. The interlocutory application will be heard on 9 September.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Law professor who claimed ‘Blak' activists were leading University of Melbourne to ‘destruction' sues for discrimination
A University of Melbourne law professor who wrote an email saying the institution was dictated to by ''Blak' activists' who were leading the prestigious institution to 'destruction' is suing Australia's top-ranked university for discrimination. Last month, a 2023 email written by Dr Eric Descheemaeker to the then head of the Melbourne Law School (MLS) was leaked and posted around the university's Parkville campus. In the email, in response to the announcement of a cultural safety review at the university, Descheemaeker said MLS was 'celebrating the 'noble savage'' and likened it to an 'ideological re-education camp'. Descheemaeker filed an application in relation to discrimination under the Fair Work Act in the federal court on 18 July, court records show. The application is related to section 351 of the act which stipulates an employer must not take adverse action against an employee because of attributes, including a person's race, colour, sex and sexual orientation. During a brief court mention in Melbourne on Friday, federal court judge Val Gostencnik said the matter would return for a hearing in September, with the parties agreeing the university would not terminate Descheemaeker's employment or take any adverse action until the injunction application had been determined. In the email to then Melbourne Law School dean, Prof Matthew Harding, on 12 August 2023, Descheemaeker wrote that there was 'absolutely no end to where 'Blak' activists are meaning to take us – except destruction'. 'They have made us start every meeting with ritual prayers,' he wrote. 'Their (non-existing) claims to land are now 'acknowledged' about every 10 feet in our corridors. They want me to teach that Australian law is only 'settler law' and that there exists a rich body of 'indigenous law' alongside (what are indigenous private-law remedies, I wonder. Ritual spearings?). 'Celebrating the 'noble savage' is already the main, if not exclusive, thing MLS appears to exist for – with just a bit of space to spare for every possible sexual or gendered minority vying for claims to victimhood.' Sign up: AU Breaking News email Descheemaeker said he joined what he thought was a world-class law faculty but had woken up in an 'ideological re-education camp' with 'incredibly parochial concerns'. The university commissioned a cultural safety review in 2023 – the same year Indigenous academic Dr Eddie Cubillo resigned from his role as an associate dean and senior fellow at the university's prestigious MLS. Cubillo, a Larrakia, Wadjigan and Central Arrernte man and former Northern Territory discrimination commissioner, told Guardian Australia at the time that MLS was the 'most culturally unsafe place I've worked'. Descheemaeker's email was first reported by The Age last month. MLS dean Prof Michelle Foster told The Age the leak was being investigated. 'The University of Melbourne aspires to be a place where all people are valued and respected, have equal access to opportunities and are encouraged to fulfil their talents and potential,' she said. The university offers students and staff access to a range of free support services, Foster said. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The university did not comment on whether there had been disciplinary action in response to the email. In an email sent to MLS staff on 13 June, Foster said 'sensitive correspondence' from August 2023 had recently been posted on campus noticeboards and social media. 'I acknowledge that staff and students who read the notices may have been offended or upset by its contents,' Foster said in the email, viewed by Guardian Australia. Foster said the university had taken immediate steps to remove the correspondence and was investigating how it came to be posted on campus. She said she was committed to ensuring cultural safety at the MLS and supported the 'important work under way in this regard'. On Thursday, Foster told Guardian Australia that Descheemaeker was an employee of the university and said it would be improper to comment on an employment matter. Descheemaeker joined MLS as a professor in 2017 and holds an honorary position as a Visiting Research Fellow of the Institute of European and Comparative Law at the University of Oxford. Descheemaeker's lawyer said their client was unable to comment at this stage.
The Age
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Living in the fifties is not progress
No case for SRL There is no credible case that we need the SRL. It's envisaged for a Melbourne that doesn't exist, and may never exist. The catchcry that 'Melbourne will be the size of London by 20XX' is a red herring. If you superimpose a map of London public transport over Melbourne, you see nothing resembling the SRL (the Croydon Tramlink is a tram – it lacks the speed and capacity of heavy rail). What you do see is many extra links in the inner suburbs that the government has no plans to implement. To create the demand to justify it (which would be a complete transformation from what is there now) would entail also creating demand for local transport options, eg, local trams or buses with tramlike frequency servicing the surrounds of each of the new stations (and preferably joining up the networks in between), none of which is part of the SRL plan (and if it were it would multiply the cost many times over). It's such an immense distraction from the lack of adequate services in so many areas where the demand exists now but is not being catered to. Samuel McMahon, Parkville Remember Gaza? Israel attacks Iran, America attacks Iran, Iran attacks Israel. Donald Trump calls a ceasefire. The World relaxes. Meanwhile, in forgotten Gaza, thousands starve and hundreds die. Daniel Cole, California Gully Nature equals wellbeing I strongly agree with Ken Henry: our natural environment is very important to our wellbeing, from trees in suburban streets to what's left of the original bush (″ Nature is critical to productivity ″, 25/6). It is good to see a clear, logical explanation of why environmental law reforms are a critical component of the productivity agenda. We should extend the definition of GDP to include not just the monetary value of goods and services created, but the non-monetary value of our natural capital of forests, national parks, oceans and other less developed assets. We could allow for the enjoyment of nature in an overall measure of quality of life. This revised definition of GDP would use many assumptions about the relative value of material goods v the use and experience of nature. Any fall in GDP per head would immediately identify problems with our ″natural capital″. Treasurer Jim Chalmers is convening a productivity summit in August, followed by a tax forum. Now would be the time for Henry to prepare submissions for these conferences. He prepared a detailed report on tax reform back in 2009, with 138 recommendations. Few were implemented. I wish him well this time around, especially for his ″high-integrity environmental laws″. John Hughes, Mentone Overblown view Your correspondent's take (Letters, 27/6) that Julian Assange helped to make Donald Trump 'who has not the slightest interest in accountability' vis-a-vis his selective leaks during the 2016 election campaign, is overblown. On the contrary, the American people made the ″monster″ by re-electing him twice over thereby cementing his unfettered powers that has effectively facilitated his unchecked dismantling of democracy pillars. Not to mention that the Wikileaks material has been sourced by journalists the world over for its veracity. Jelena Rosic, Mornington St Kilda memories I love St Kilda (″ Facing up to boho blues: How St Kilda living lost its lustre ″, 28/6) the Palais, the waterfront, the Acland Street cake shops, Luna Park, Catani Gardens and more. As a child my family were regulars at Leo's Spaghetti Bar on Fitzroy Street and the Fairy Stork Chinese restaurant on Ackland Street. Then as a teenager I graduated to the Prince of Wales, the Venue and the Palace, seeing bands such as Hunters and Collectors and Hoodoo Gurus and on occasion even visiting Bojangles. I'm sad to see empty shop fronts and the turn some parts of the area have taken. We need to be regular visitors to the area as we don't have any other place like this in Melbourne and we will only realise what we have lost when it is gone. Samantha Keir, East Brighton Farewell to Kyiv Foreign correspondent Rob Harris reminds Ukrainians how Kyiv has survived through the ages and continues to defy Putin (″ The city that continues to defy Putin ″, 27/6) . How life goes on as normal. Bars are packed, streets hum with life. The war is not lost as Russia says it is ready for peace talks. Harris in his final visit alongside World Vision Australia says he will not forget Kyiv. I am sure Kyiv will not forget him. George Jaworsky, Wollert Not wedded to this Why do we need to see days of the wedding excesses of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez? Are there really people out there who watch it and don't realise these people are just revelling in their advantage over the rest of us? I don't understand why so much coverage was given to this in Australia. Maureen Gunn, Strathmore
Medscape
17-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Celiac Blood Test Eliminates Need for Eating Gluten
Think your patient may have celiac disease? The harsh reality is that current diagnostic tests require patients to consume gluten for an accurate diagnosis, which poses challenges for individuals already avoiding gluten. A more tolerable approach appears to be on the horizon. Researchers in Australia have developed a blood test that can identify celiac disease with high sensitivity and specificity, even without consuming gluten. 'This is a simple and accurate test that can provide a diagnosis within a very short time frame, without the need for patients to continue eating gluten and feeling sick, or to wait months for a gastroscopy,' Olivia Moscatelli, PhD candidate, Tye-Din Lab, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia, told Medscape Medical News . The study was published online on June 9 in Gastroenterology . Most Cases Go Undiagnosed Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley. The only available treatment is a strict, life-long gluten-free diet. The global prevalence of celiac disease is estimated at around 1%-2%, with 50%-80% of cases either undiagnosed or diagnosed late. That's because the current reliable diagnosis of celiac disease requires the intake of gluten, which may deter people from seeking a diagnosis. In earlier work, the researchers, working with Robert Anderson, MBChB, BMedSc, PhD, now with Novoviah Pharmaceuticals, made the unexpected discovery that interleukin-2 (IL-2) spiked in the blood of people with celiac disease shortly after they ate gluten. But would this signal be present when no gluten had been consumed? The team developed and tested a simple whole blood assay measuring IL-2 release (WBAIL- 2) for detecting gluten-specific T cells to aid in diagnosing celiac disease. They collected blood samples from 181 volunteers — 75 with treated celiac disease on a gluten-free diet, 13 with active untreated celiac disease, 32 with nonceliac gluten sensitivity and 61 healthy controls. The blood samples were mixed with gluten in a test tube for a day to see if the IL-2 signal appeared. The WBAIL-2 assay demonstrated high accuracy for celiac disease, even in patients following a strict gluten-free diet. For patients with HLA-DQ2.5+ genetics, sensitivity was 90% and specificity was 95%, with lower sensitivity (56%) for patients with HLA-DQ8+ celiac disease. The WBAIL-2 assay correlated strongly with the frequency of tetramer-positive gluten-specific CD4+ T cells used to diagnose celiac disease and monitor treatment effectiveness, and with serum IL-2 levels after gluten challenge. The strength of the IL-2 signal correlated with the severity of a patient's symptoms, 'allowing us to predict how severely a person with celiac disease might react to gluten, without them actually having to eat it,' Moscatelli said in a news release. 'Current diagnostic practice involves a blood-based serology test followed by a confirmatory gastroscopy if positive. Both tests require the patient to eat gluten daily for 6-12 weeks prior for accurate results. We envision the new blood test (IL-2 whole blood assay) will replace the invasive gastroscopy as the confirmatory test following positive serology,' Moscatelli told Medscape Medical News . 'In people already following a gluten-free diet, we propose they would have this new blood test done on two separate occasions and two positive results would be required for a celiac diagnosis. This would allow a large number of people who previously have been unable to go through the current diagnostic process to receive a diagnosis,' Moscatelli said. Practice Changing Potential Blood-based test that can accurately detect celiac disease without the need for a gluten challenge would be 'welcome and practice changing,' said Christopher Cao, director, Celiac Disease Program, Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai Health System, New York City. 'A typical 'gluten challenge' involves eating the equivalent of 1-2 slices of bread daily for the course of 6 weeks, and this may be incredibly difficult for patients who have already been on a gluten-free diet prior to an official celiac disease diagnosis. Inability to perform a gluten challenge limits the ability to make an accurate celiac disease diagnosis,' Cao told Medscape Medical News. 'This study shows that gluten-stimulated interleukin release 2 assays may correlate with the presence of pathogenic gluten-specific CD4+ T cell response in celiac disease,' Cao noted. He cautioned that 'further large cohort, multicenter prospective studies are needed to assess generalizability and may be helpful in evaluating the accuracy of WBAIL-2 in non-HLA DQ2.5 genotypes.' Other considerations prior to implementation may include reproducibility across different laboratories and overall cost effectiveness, Cao said. 'Ultimately in clinic, the role of WBAIL-2 will need to be better defined within the algorithm of celiac disease testing,' he added. The Path Ahead The researchers plan to test the performance of the IL-2 whole blood assay in a pediatric cohort, as well as in other countries to demonstrate the reproducibility of the test. In these studies, the test will likely be performed alongside the current diagnostic tests (serology and gastroscopy), Moscatelli told Medscape Medical News . 'There are some validation studies starting in other countries already as many celiac clinicians globally are interested in bringing this test to their clinical practice. I believe the plan is to have this as an approved diagnostic test for celiac disease worldwide,' she said. Novoviah Pharmaceuticals is managing the commercialization of the test, and the plan is to get it into clinical practice in the next 2 years, Moscatelli said.
BreakingNews.ie
09-06-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Coolmore plans to demolish Parkville farm buildings stalled
Contentious plans to demolish JP Magnier owned derelict farm buildings at Parkville near Clonmel in Co Tipperary have been stalled. This follows Dr Alan Moore of the Save Parkville Farm Group lodging an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against the Tipperary County Council's grant of planning permission. Advertisement JP Magnier is the son of well-known stud owner John Magnier, and in March 2024, the Magniers' Coolmore is reported to have paid €2.425 million, or almost €38,000 an acre for the 64-acre farm at Parkville - the lands had a guide price of €1.28 million. The Council granted planning permission to the Coolmore-linked Melclon UC for the demolition of existing derelict buildings at Parkville together with all associated site development works despite local opposition which included a farm-gate demonstration on October 3rd last at the site. In the appeal, Dr Alan Moore contends that the permission conflicts in its entirety with the aims and recommendations of Tipperary County Council plan policy in relation to vernacular farm buildings. In his original objection, Dr Moore stated that "We have lost far too many similar structures both in Tipperary and nationally. There is no excuse for making the same mistake again." Advertisement The Moore appeal includes a personal letter that under-bidder to the Parkville property, John Hurley, sent to the Magnier family last October. Mr Hurley was runner up to Coolmore in the bidding for the property at auction last year and in his letter, Mr Hurley said that himself and his late father had been stewards to Parkville for nearly 50 years where they rented the property. Mr Hurley says: 'Parkville was more than just a farm to us: it was a legacy, a responsibility and a testament to the enduring bond between man and land. We poured our hearts and souls into it, ensuring its beauty and history remained intact. Melclon lodged its plans on September 18th last, and in his letter dated October 8th, Mr Hurley said that 'this letter is written with a heavy heart with both sorrow and a deep sense of injustice'. Advertisement Mr Hurley said to the Magnier family that it is crucial to address the recent peaceful protest that took place outside the gates of Parkville. Mr Hurley followed up his letter to the Magnier family with a formal objection to the planning application. A notice placed on the gate at the site by the applicants stated that 'these lands contain a derelict yard of rubble stone construction. After decades of serious neglect, it is heavily overgrown and crumbling and is now a serious health and safety concern'. The notice states that 'the owner has applied for demolition on health and safety grounds."
