Australian Politics

Single-sex schools ‘discriminate’, says principal

This is an old debate with no clear resolution so it is a pity to force it on to anyone. Single sex schools do seem to be good for academic results and don't seem to diminish the enthusiasm of boys and girls for one-another

The principal of a southwest Sydney boys high school, soon to merge with its neighbouring girls school and become co-ed, has referred to single-sex education as “a discriminatory structure”, as the institutions aim to bring together their distinct cultures and ways of teaching.

The principals of both Liverpool Boys and Liverpool Girls high schools are supportive of the merging of their government institutions to become co-ed by 2027.

Principal Michael Saxon, in a report by Western Sydney University, commissioned by himself and Liverpool Girls High School principal Kirstine Gonano ahead of the amalgamation, said it would be a positive step towards diversity and anti-discriminatory practice.

“I think that co-ed will give us back the richness that should exist in every school, and that sense of diversity,” he told researchers. “Single-sex schools are really a discriminatory structure, not sure how they comply with discrimination laws. Co-ed structure gets rid of that discrimination, and we get much better balance in terms of gender and sexuality diversities.”

The 141-page report looked at the differences between teaching practices and culture at the schools ahead of the merger to determine the best way forward and to ensure all stakeholders were represented. Researchers surveyed a small sample of students and about 25 per cent of teachers.

Numerous teachers at LGHS expressed directly to their female students pessimism about teaching male pupils, and about the merger, according to students, with warnings it may “exacerbate the complexities of the transition”.

In a section about the girls’ views on the merger, researchers wrote: “Negative commentary from teachers about boys in general, and about the school merger specifically, is circulating and spreading among the students at LGHS and may entrench stereotypical views about gender and learning”.

One LGHS year 12 student said: “We’ve had teachers complain that they don’t want to teach boys … if not all our teachers, almost all our teachers.”

Ms Gonano told The Australian many teachers’ opinions had changed since the survey was done earlier this year, just after the government confirmed the merger.

She said some of the comments were reflective of the general fear of change, which included the fact there would be 2000 students, up from 1200, and a new high-rise school building. “The co-ed thing isn’t really a thing,” she added.

The NSW government has made a commitment that every student in the state will have guaranteed access to a co-educational public high school by 2027. It previously said 56 per cent of future Liverpool High School parents stated a preference for a co-educational school, and the merger was celebrated by local MPs.

Throughout the study, staff at LGHS argued that what makes the school unique is that it is extremely multicultural and single-sex, which “empowered” its students. “As the school is very multicultural it is essential that the school shows the girls from different backgrounds that there are a wide range of roles for women in society,” the report noted.

Ms Gonano told The Australian: “Our teachers are very committed to school culture and teaching our students, but whether that’s about single-sex education or about empowering the young females in our school … they’re two very different views”.

Boys and girls at both schools also had mixed views about the merger, their main concern being increased distractions in the classroom. Other students believed it would expand their opportunities and resources.

Researchers recommended school management expand “respectful relationship education” ahead of the merger to address issues such as sexual harassment, misogyny and homophobia – with the latter described by students as a “massive issue” – and to introduce gender awareness training, and boost availability of counsellors and mental health resources.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/singlesex-schools-discriminate-says-principal/news-story/3c3174fbe532dea9715e64ee5dfda77c

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Victorians can keep cooking with gas after Allan government backflips on net zero road map

Victorian households with existing gas stovetops can continue cooking with gas after the Allan government moved to exclude the appliances from the state’s net zero road map.

The Premier confirmed the policy backflip on Monday morning, and said that gas cooktops and stoves that reach the end of their life would be able to be replaced with new gas appliances.

“We know that gas is a diminishing resource which is why we will always help those households and businesses who can, to go all electric,” Ms Allan said.

“I’m going to be really clear today … that Victorians can continue to keep cooking with gas.”

While homes can opt to continue using the gas appliance, Ms Allan confirmed that new homes will still be prohibited from connecting to gas.

Victoria has the highest use of residential gas in the country, with about 80 per cent of homes connected.

The government was previously considering a plan to phase out gas cooktops from existing homes, potentially by forcing people to replace their gas appliances with electric alternatives if they were broken or needed replacing.

“This is important because we’ve listened to Victorians and they’ve asked for this certainty to be provided, and we’re providing that today,” she said.

“It also gives us the opportunity to have conversation with the Victorian community about our future energy mix and our future energy needs.”

It comes as the state Labor government will this week introduce legislation to support new offshore gas storage projects.

“We’re continuing to provide support and certainty for the gas industry,” the Premier said.

“The (energy) minister has undertaken extensive consultation with industry and the industry was seeking greater legislative and regulatory certainty around offshore gas storage projects.

“We already have gas storage here in the state and we have a project proposal from Beach that has been through a vigorous planning and environmental approvals process and it’s just about ready to go.”

Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell called the government’s move “another cowardly political decision” and said gas cooktops are terrible for the climate and health.

“We’re in the middle of a climate crisis caused by burning fossil fuels, yet Labor wants to pour more fuel on the fire and encourage more offshore gas projects in Victoria,” Ms Sandell said.

“We’ve seen backflip after backflip from this Labor government. Instead of listening to climate science and the experts, Labor is pandering to the ring-wing conservatives and fossil fuel lobby groups.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/victorians-can-keep-cooking-with-gas-after-allan-government-backflips-on-net-zero-road-map/news-story/f244eb22f69ddb85faaf572aaa436474

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‘Big trouble’: Farmers to descend on Canberra to protest live sheep export ban

Anthony Albanese has been accused of “kicking agriculture in the guts” as farmers prepare to descend on parliament house to protest Labor’s live sheep export ban.

The Prime Minister this week insisted the ban, which has sparked outrage from the farming industry but was welcomed by animal rights groups, would go ahead and would not be revisited.

The Export Control Amendment Bill 2024, presented to the public in May this year and passed overwhelmingly by the House and Senate, will phase out the live export of sheep over four years by May 1, 2028 and offer affected farmers a $107 million “transition package”.

Desperate farmers are now “having to make business decisions about their merino flock”, with backlogged abattoirs unable to process the animals, according to WA livestock truckie Ben Sutherland, vice president of the Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia and key spokesperson of the Keep the Sheep campaign.

“The merino job is in big trouble, they’re taking flock reductions here … [the financial impact] has been absolutely massive,” he said.

“They’ve been taking a hit for the last month, especially with lamb prices, mutton prices at some of their all-time lows. It’s really hard to get rid of sheep through abattoirs. Some people are overstocked by 10 to 15 per cent still and they’re needing to reduce sheep numbers. Things are not looking great.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said in July, after the ban was passed by parliament, that there were already anecdotes of farmers shooting their sheep, which they believe will be rendered “worthless” by the bill.

“That’s at the feet of Anthony Albanese, RSPCA and Animals Australia – dead sheep in paddocks – from farmers who are desperate and can’t afford to [process them locally],” he said.

Mr Sutherland said the farming community was “disheartened” by the decision, which was already having ripple effects through the WA industry after a dry start to the year.

“As a transporter, 30 per cent of our annual bottom line is starting to happen now,” he said.

“At the moment I’d say we’re in the tightest margins we’ve ever seen. We’re only at 2 to 3 per cent, that’s likely to go to 1.2 to 2 per cent. It’s not good, especially with rising fuel prices, road user charges, insurance, it’s really looking a lot like it’s anti-agriculture.”

Mr Sutherland said in all his years “I’ve never seen people so disenchanted with the federal government”.

“There’s no competence in them at all,” he said. “Everywhere you turn they’re kicking agriculture in the guts, kicking us in the teeth.”

He accused Labor of “bowing down to animal activists” and endangering the food supply chain.

“I think it’s a combination of both ideology and incompetence,” he said.

“They never consulted the industry, they have not spoken to people in the supply chain and got our perspective.”

The National Farmers Federation has called on farmers and supporters to join a rally outside parliament house in Canberra on Tuesday, September 10, to oppose what it calls “anti-farming agendas” of the federal government.

The rally was initially organised by the Keep the Sheep campaign but has been broadened to highlight a range of other concerns, including new taxes, water buybacks and energy infrastructure.

“We’re seeing a growing number of decisions being driven by anti-farming activism, not evidence,” NFF president David Jochinke said in a statement.

“We’re being drowned out by the noisy minority who want to shut us down.”

A recent survey by the NFF found fewer than one in 10 farmers say the federal government was listening to their concerns or had a positive plan for their future.

“Australian farmers are the best in the world,” Mr Jochinke said.

“We consistently deliver the highest quality produce for Aussie families. We want policymakers to work with us to grow more in Australia. Too often it feels like they’re just working with our detractors. The common thread in every issue we’re facing is that they’re all driven by niche interest groups who don’t understand or support Aussie farmers.”

Mr Jochinke said a rally was an “unusual step” for the peak body “but we hope it will send powerful message to decision-makers ahead of the next election that these decisions need to stop”.

“We just want a return to common sense,” he said.

“We want policies informed by farmers’ lived experience and designed to grow the industry, not diminish it to appease activist agendas. Whether you’re a farmer or not, I encourage you to join us to celebrate the positive story of Australian agriculture in the heart of Canberra.”

Mr Littleproud said on Friday that the Nationals “100 per cent” supported the rally.

“This Labor government has decimated our farming and agriculture industry,” he said in a statement.

“It has been over 40 years since farmers last felt so aggrieved to protest against a government. It’s easy to understand why our farmers are fed up, after being constantly attacked by Labor and its anti-farming policies, from water buybacks to reckless renewables and its senseless phase-out of our live sheep export trade.”

Mr Littleproud said the Nationals were demanding 10 key changes by Labor, including reinstating the live sheep export trade, fixing the PALM scheme “mess” and stopping the “truckie tax and vehicle efficiency standard”.

“These 10 key areas are crucial to farming, agriculture and regional Australia,” he said. “The Nationals will not stop fighting until common sense prevails and our farmers get a fair go.”

Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash claimed the Prime Minister had “sold out WA farmers by banning the live export of sheep — destroying an entire industry in the process”.

“More than 3000 Australians work in this industry,” Ms Cash said on X last week. “They face losing their jobs, and families under financial stress will have to leave country towns.”

The Prime Minister visited Perth this week to introduce Trish Cook as Labor’s candidate for the new electorate of Bullwinkel, home to a number of regional communities affected by the live export ban.

Asked whether he had met with any industry representatives to discuss the impact of the ban during his visit, Mr Albanese said he had “met with industry reps in Canberra, and I’ve also met families in Kalgoorlie when I was there”.

“This an industry that’s worth $80 million [in] exports a year,” he said.

“The money that we have on the table is at least $107 million for adjustment. We want communities to be looked after. I think that this is an industry, if you compare $80 million for live exports with $4 billion which is what the sheep meat export industry is worth, I think that indicates where the industry needs to go. We want to make sure that people are looked after and we want to work with industry on that.”

Mr Albanese insisted Labor’s focus was on job creation.

“And that’s why, in transitioning away from the live sheep meat export trade, towards the sheep meat export trade, we can create more jobs,” he said.

“One of the things about when you process, just like value adding a future made in Australia across the board, I’m for value adding in Australia whenever you can. And that’s how you create more jobs, not less jobs. The big trade in the sheep industry in Australia is for sheep meat export.”

The Prime Minister acknowledged “adjustments are hard, which is why we have that support available, and why we are engaging”.

“But to be clear, the legislation was passed overwhelmingly through the House of Representatives and through the Senate,” he said. “This is a decision that I believe has the overwhelming support of the Australian population.”

Mia Davies, the Nationals candidate for Bullwinkel, told The West Australian the Prime Minister’s comments were “flippant”.

“The Prime Minister is flippant, and it’s a disgrace when it comes to talking about this industry [that] directly supports 3000 people’s jobs,“ she said.

“He’s talking about creating new jobs. How about we keep the jobs we’ve already got?”

https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/big-trouble-farmers-to-descend-on-canberra-to-protest-live-sheep-export-ban/news-story/6e8c6acc798333d430e50566e44e0dba

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Greens poisonous alchemy

How do you make a wealthy and democratic country into a poor and despotic one? One Australian Greens policy at a time.

American journalist and satirist H.L. Mencken once quipped that, ‘For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.’ This sentiment aptly describes Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather’s proposal to address housing affordability by making every Australian poorer.

Chandler-Mather, who is often wrong but seldom in doubt, has indicated that the Greens’ housing policy objective is to reduce the value of housing in real terms. Said Chandler-Mather, ‘I think our goal, our stated goal, is to stop house price growth, so zero per cent growth, to give wages a chance to catch up.’ This policy hinges on the expectation that wages will rise and not fall as a consequence of implementing this and other Greens policies.

The Australian property market faces significant issues and distortions, notably the growing difficulty for young Australians to buy a home or afford rising rents. These problems are leading to major social, economic, and national security concerns. However, the affordability crisis stems from a long fermenting cocktail of poor policies across all levels of government. These complex issues cannot be resolved through simple slogans or superficial policies, regardless of how passionately they are presented.

Oblivious to the broader consequences, Chandler-Mather has proposed ‘a combination of phasing out tax handouts for investors, rent caps and government-built affordable homes.’

If the goal is to improve housing affordability, government-built homes are not the answer. Historical evidence shows that government construction does not provide lower-cost, higher-quality ‘affordable’ housing when compared to the private market. In fact, there is substantial evidence indicating that the unholy matrimony of government with the CFMEU in construction projects only increases timelines and costs. Costs which are borne by taxpayers further burdening Australians with higher taxes for longer.

Imposing rent caps would result in a significant reduction in the number of properties available leading to increased rents and reduced maintenance. Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck famously said that, ‘Rent control appears to be the most efficient technique presently known to destroy a city — except for bombing.’

As to the tax policies proposed, phasing out negative gearing and abolishing the capital gains tax discount, are nothing more than massive tax increases with equally massive consequences.

The so-called capital gains discount is in fact not a discount but rather an administrative simplification of accounting for the effects of inflation. The abolition of the capital gain tax discount would thus require asset owners to pay a tax on asset price increases caused by inflation, and would not just affect property assets but all capital assets including shares, bonds, businesses and farms. This would lead to a decimation of the savings and wealth of all Australians.

The impact on the financial system of property price deflation (in real terms) would also be significant as banks and other lenders would be reluctant to provide loans against an asset declining in value. A collapse in lending would follow with a financial crisis almost certainly to ensue. Interest rates would spike. Businesses would collapse. Unemployment would soar.

No doubt the Chandler-Mather and his Greens comrades would blame and further punish the middle-class Kulaks when the market did not behave as demanded.

Perhaps such policies won’t ever be implemented, but the social damage caused by raising false expectations for short-term political gain is unconscionable.

The factors contributing to young Australians’ struggle to afford housing are multiple but include Australia’s high levels of immigration, the labyrinthine layers of regulation, and the usurious levels of tax in Australia necessary to finance Australia’s bloated bureaucracy and middle-class welfare industrial complex. All policies supported by the Greens. Over one-third of the cost of a newly built home is tax; collected to feed the bloated, inefficient, and ineffective administrative and bureaucratic leviathan.

It is emblematic of the problem that a family with a combined annual income of up to $533,280 can access the government’s childcare rebate or that a family on a combined annual income of up to $302,000 can access the government’s private health insurance rebate.

NDIS waste and fraud coupled with perverse incentives have also placed the current $49 billion scheme on track to consume the entirety of all Commonwealth government revenues within 25 years.

The Greens offer no policies to address these issues. Policies to enhance young Australians’ disposable incomes through tax cuts, thus increasing their property purchasing and renting power are absent.

Similarly, the Greens offer no pro-productivity policies, such as regulatory or tax reform, to put downward pressure on inflation and interest rates, thereby improving young Australians’ ability to purchase homes. On the contrary, the Greens propose more taxes and more anti-productivity measures.

Chandler-Mather, who previously worked as a childcare worker, call centre employee, and organiser for the National Tertiary Education Union, appears to conflate the concepts of housing price and cost. Housing prices are determined by supply and demand dynamics, and effective policy should address the underlying factors influencing these prices rather than attempt to manipulate the end price through government force.

On the demand side, rents are impacted by the number of people seeking accommodation, which is rising and will be further exacerbated by the government’s plans to maintain high levels of overseas migration, plans supported by the Greens.

On the supply side, rents are effected by the volume and growth of premises available. In a normal market, rising prices are an invitation for more supply, but there are significant barriers to development, which limit and slow the construction of new premises. These include complex and onerous approval processes, imposed by local and state planning authorities, often in electorates represented by Greens.

American economist Thomas Sowell once observed that humanity’s natural state is poverty, not prosperity. Therefore, Sowell emphasised the need to study the reasons why people are rich, rather than why they are poor. Axiomatically, wealth creation should be encouraged and incentivised rather than poverty subsidised.

Chandler-Mather and his colleagues advocate for policies that have been proven to be economically destructive and which would exacerbate rather than solve Australia’s problems.

The Greens’ policies will not improve the state of housing affordability in Australia. The Greens’ policies will not improve the state of anything in Australia. The Greens’ policies will only increase the size and power of the state in Australia ensuring only more poverty and more social division. Which is possibly their true objective.

https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/09/greens-poisonous-alchemy/