VCAA to be investigated after college students given entry to de facto cheat sheets
Catie McLeod
The Victorian authorities has introduced one other assessment of the state’s Curriculum and Evaluation Authority (VCAA) after hundreds of VCE college students got entry to de facto cheat sheets.
The schooling minister, Ben Carroll, mentioned the Labor authorities had accepted all of the suggestions from this yr’s assessment of the system but it surely was clear there have been “ongoing issues relating to the production and distribution of exams”. In a press release, Carroll mentioned:
College students deserve higher. It’s clear to me that some college students have been let down because of these errors and that’s utterly unaccaptable.
The cheat sheets, first reported by the Herald Solar, had been for eight topics together with enterprise administration, specialist maths and authorized research, which contained virtually equivalent inquiries to these utilized in remaining exams.
Printed by the VCAA on-line, when clean sections of the duvet pages had been pasted right into a Phrase doc it revealed a sequence of questions and solutions.
This yr’s exams for these specific topics have already been sat, and the VCAA’s chief govt officer, Kylie White, advised 3AW radio there had been “similarities” between the cheat sheet questions and the ultimate exams.
In response, the Victorian authorities has ordered a “root and branch” exterior assessment of the VCAA’s construction and operations, and mentioned it could appoint an impartial monitor to supervise subsequent yr’s exams.
The impartial monitor can be appointed early subsequent yr.
Key occasions
Watt says concern of reconciliation not closed in Australia regardless of Voice referendum
Wrapping up the interview, Murray Watt was additionally requested concerning the haka carried out in New Zealand parliament yesterday over a controversial invoice that proposes to radically alter the way in which New Zealand’s treaty between Māori and the crown is interpreted.
Might this affect the dialog right here? Watt mentioned he hadn’t seen the footage, however responded:
I believe there are various Australians who care very deeply concerning the rights of our First Peoples. After all, Australians had their say on the Voice to Parliament within the latest referendum, however I don’t suppose which means the problem of reconciliation is closed in Australia. That’s one thing that our authorities stays dedicated to engaged on with our First Peoples and I believe numerous Australians assist that as properly.
I most likely received’t touch upon what’s occurring in New Zealand as a result of it’s their very own affairs, but it surely reveals these points nonetheless actually matter to folks.
Murray Watt additionally responded to yesterday’s unemployment fee, and mentioned:
We’re fairly happy to see a modest improve within the variety of jobs created final month. We now have managed to create greater than 1m jobs since coming to workplace, which is probably the most any authorities has ever created in a single parliamentary time period. However I believe it could be cheap to anticipate that the labour market will proceed to melt and we might see a slight uptick within the unemployment fee earlier than too lengthy.
Watt on UN vote on Palestine: ‘this is the best way to achieve change’
Murray Watt was additionally requested about Australia’s backing of a UN decision to recognise the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, marking a significant departure from its earlier place.
He mentioned that when it comes right down to it, “most people want to see change in the Middle East” and “the terrible violence and terrible casualties that we see there.”
However the actuality is that no nation appearing by itself, whether or not it’s Australia or anybody else, is ready to affect what’s going on there. So we expect one of the best ways of making an attempt to drive ahead with peace … is by working with different like minded international locations.
Watt mentioned Australia was one in all greater than 150 international locations who voted for the decision, together with the UK, Germany and “many other countries with very similar views to Australia”.
There are points relating to settler violence towards Palestinians, across the management of sources by Palestinians within the Palestinian Occupied Territories. So we expect this can be a decision value supporting, it will not be that we agree with each single phrase in that decision, however while you’ve bought 150 different international locations shifting, we expect that’s one of the best ways to realize change as properly.
Requested about Coalition assist on electoral reform, Murray Watt mentioned there was in-principle settlement:
I wouldn’t say they’ve agreed to each single element and there little doubt can be continued negotiations. The crossbenchers’ place is a bit of bit extra unclear. After all there are some crossbench members who’ve benefited considerably from extraordinarily giant donations from specific people, and have been capable of spend very giant quantities of cash on a person seat.
Watt mentioned the federal government is making an attempt to usher in caps on what may be spend on a person seat, and “that would apply to large parties just as it would to independents”.
Murray Watt says Australia should not have political donations ‘arms race’
The employment and office relations minister, Murray Watt, was up on ABC Information Breakfast earlier to debate authorities’s political donation reforms, set to be launched to parliament subsequent week.
In case you missed this, you possibly can learn extra under:
Why convey these reforms in now? Watt mentioned this concern has involved many Australians “for quite some time now”.
We don’t need to go down the American path the place we are able to see wealthy people successfully purchase elections, and the amount of cash that’s being spent on elections even in Australia retains growing yr on yr.
He mentioned the federal government had been engaged on this “for some time”, with a joint parliamentary inquiry wanting into issues about electoral reform.
We’re seeing an growing arms race when it will get to political donations and the amount of cash that’s been spent on election campaigns, and I believe all Australians have an curiosity in making an attempt to maintain huge cash out of [politics and trying] to maintain it clear and check out to ensure this really features as a democracy the place everybody’s vote counts, slightly than simply the richest folks in our communities.
Australia and Indonesia leaders talk about Trump impression at Apec
The leaders of Australia and Indonesia have mentioned what a Donald Trump presidency will imply for the world, AAP experiences, after the incoming US chief threatened to impose tariffs on imported items.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and Indonesia’s president, Prabowo Subianto, held the talks on the Asia-Pacific Financial Cooperation (Apec) leaders summit in Lima, Peru. Albanese advised reporters there:
We had a superb dialogue. He had a telephone dialog with president [elect] Trump, as I did final week, so we mentioned that and what it would imply for the world. Clearly, that’s a part of the backdrop of Apec and the G20 is what the impression of a change in US administration could have.
Albanese, who’s in Peru alongside the agriculture minister, Julie Collins, additionally met with the president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, to debate the bilateral engagement between their two international locations on mining and agriculture.
Requested if he additionally deliberate to fulfill with China’s president, Xi Jinping, who has arrived in Lima, Albanese left the door open, saying “we’ll make announcements at appropriate times”.
Albanese was additionally requested if he had thought of making a facet journey from Lima to Florida, the place Trump has an property, to fulfill him in particular person, and mentioned: “I’ll have a meeting with President Trump when it is organised”.
We spoke about gathering, and I’m certain that may happen. I intend to be in parliament subsequent Thursday, when our parliament is sitting.
Albanese mentioned he believes that to date his relationship with Trump had been “very constructive” and “very positive”.
Good morning
Emily Wind
Due to Martin for kicking issues off – I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be right here by means of most of as we speak to convey you our rolling protection.
As at all times, you possibly can attain out by way of electronic mail with any story suggestions, suggestions or questions: emily.wind@theguardian.com.
Let’s get began.
Myer scraps Christmas home windows occasion over pro-Palestine protest
Retail firm Myer has cancelled a particular occasion to mark the opening of its Christmas home windows over issues for buyer and employee security on account of a threatened pro-Palestine protest, AAP experiences.
Activist Group Disrupt Wars had promoted a “Crash the Christmas Windows” demonstration on Sunday, encouraging supporters to convey banners, flags, placards, noise-makers and props. A social media submit learn:
Christmas is cancelled, and there can be no pleasure or frivolity whereas kids in Gaza are massacred.
It mentioned the protest was designed to “inconvenience those who would rather bury their heads in the capitalist machine than speak up against a genocide”.
Victoria police mentioned they’d “repeatedly requested they do not do this, however the group is not co-operating”. Police mentioned a separate pro-Palestine rally afterward Sunday had modified its traditional path to keep away from the Christmas home windows.
Myer mentioned the show will nonetheless be seen as deliberate from Sunday till early January. The retailer mentioned late yesterday:
In mild of latest developments and to make sure the wellbeing and security of shoppers and group members, we are going to not maintain an occasion on Bourke Avenue Mall for the revealing of our Christmas home windows.
VCAA to be investigated after college students given entry to de facto cheat sheets
Catie McLeod
The Victorian authorities has introduced one other assessment of the state’s Curriculum and Evaluation Authority (VCAA) after hundreds of VCE college students got entry to de facto cheat sheets.
The schooling minister, Ben Carroll, mentioned the Labor authorities had accepted all of the suggestions from this yr’s assessment of the system but it surely was clear there have been “ongoing issues relating to the production and distribution of exams”. In a press release, Carroll mentioned:
College students deserve higher. It’s clear to me that some college students have been let down because of these errors and that’s utterly unaccaptable.
The cheat sheets, first reported by the Herald Solar, had been for eight topics together with enterprise administration, specialist maths and authorized research, which contained virtually equivalent inquiries to these utilized in remaining exams.
Printed by the VCAA on-line, when clean sections of the duvet pages had been pasted right into a Phrase doc it revealed a sequence of questions and solutions.
This yr’s exams for these specific topics have already been sat, and the VCAA’s chief govt officer, Kylie White, advised 3AW radio there had been “similarities” between the cheat sheet questions and the ultimate exams.
In response, the Victorian authorities has ordered a “root and branch” exterior assessment of the VCAA’s construction and operations, and mentioned it could appoint an impartial monitor to supervise subsequent yr’s exams.
The impartial monitor can be appointed early subsequent yr.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our reside information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the highest in a single day tales after which it is going to be Emily Wind with the principle motion.
Our high story this morning is that donation and electoral spending caps might go parliament as early as this fortnight, with Labor assured the Coalition will assist it block campaigns of the scale run by Clive Palmer on the nationwide stage and teal independents on the native stage.
Chris Sidoti, Australia’s former human rights commissioner and member of the UN’s inquiry into Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, has warned that the bombardment of Gaza was sowing the seeds for generations of battle. “The conflict in Gaza is an Israeli terrorism creation factory and there is no sign of it finishing,” he advised Guardian Australia. It comes as Australia backed in a United Nations decision to recognise the “permanent sovereignty” of Palestinians within the Occupied Palestinian Territory, marking a significant departure from its earlier place.
The Victorian authorities has introduced one other assessment of the state’s Curriculum and Evaluation Authority after hundreds of VCE college students got entry to de facto cheat sheets. The schooling minister, Ben Carroll, mentioned it was “clear students had been let down”. Extra on that in a minute.
And a beloved custom, the revealing of the annual Christmas home windows at Melbourne’s Myer on Bourke Avenue mall, has been cancelled after an activist group promoted a “crash the windows” protest saying there needs to be “no joy or frivolity while children in Gaza are massacred”. Extra on that too quickly.
