Novo summarizes the news stories that have effected young Australia in the past month
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Macromedia Conference Our good
friends at Macromedia and Scholastic are offering some fantastic free
conferences for those interested in web publishing, graphic design or
multimedia. The conferences, to be held in Canberra, Adelaide and Perth,
will show budding young web masters how to create dynamic webpages with
the full Macromedia product range. The "Built for Speed' seminars
will also focus on the new features of the Macromedia's award winning, Flash
5 Live. Plus those attending will also have the chance to win prizes
and be part of special promotions. More information can be obtained from
the build
for speed website. The conference will be in Canberra on the 21st
November, in Adelaide on the 23rd and in Perth on the 28th. |
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Class Cancelled The Age
reported on the 17 October, that the principal of a Melbourne school had
suspended year 12 classes following the discovery of graffiti on the
school roof. Jeff Wilson, principal of Montmorency Secondary College,
repeatedly questioned the students to find who was responsible for the
words 'Year 12 2000' being painted on the school roof. When none of the
125 year 12 students admitted responsibility, the principal cancelled all
classes, despite VCE practice exams being scheduled for that day. Mr.
Wilson also instructed the students to empty their lockers, and two later
suggested that all year 12s considered themselves suspended. At least one
of the student's parents spoke out at the principals actions. |
| Female
Violence A study by the University of Glasgow has discovered that 4 out of 10 British teenagers have been beaten up. The study, which interviewed 800 13 to16-year-old girls, discovered 98% had witnessed violent incidents while many considered fighting an everyday occurrence. However, the researchers dismissed the idea than women were beginning to form violent 'gangs'. |
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Commune
Raid 'Illegal' On the 17 October a Sydney District Court awarded members of a commune $1.3 million damages, following an unlawful drug raid by New South Wales police. The police raided the Wytaliba commune without a warrant, and in a 'high-handed' manner. Despite the use of over 10 police, and a police helicopter, only two of the 150 commune residents were convicted of drug offences. Both convictions were later overturned. |
| HSC
Drafters Fail On the 20 October, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that teachers and students believed the drafting of the HSC English exam was flawed. The poetry question asked students to discuss the 'gladness' of two Bruce Dawe poems, which discussed rape and dead bodies. One teacher suggested her students had been forced to 'make-up' gladness in the poems. While the head of the English Teachers' Association suggested the difficulty of the question would be taken into account in marking, many students logged onto the HSC website to complain of the question following their exam. |
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Economic
Protests A protester hit Victorian Premier Steve Bracks in the face with a cream pie on the 22 October. Mr Bracks was opening the new Melbourne Museum, when a man shouting about the recent World Economic Forum protests in Melbourne broke through the crowd. Despite the protester's calls of 'we were peaceful' the S11 Alliance subsequently claimed they had nothing to do with the pie thrower. Two children were also knocked to the ground during the incident. |
