WEBVTT - The Aussie writer charged with child exploitation

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<v Speaker 1>Already and this is the Daily This is the Daily.

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<v Speaker 2>Ohs oh, now it makes sense. Good morning and welcome

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<v Speaker 2>to the Daily OS. It's Thursday, the fifteenth of January.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm Emma Gillespie, I'm Billy fitz Simon's books by popular

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<v Speaker 2>Australian author Craig Sylvie have been pulled from shelves in

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<v Speaker 2>Western Australian schools after the forty three year old author

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<v Speaker 2>was charged with child exploitation. Several of Sylvie's books, including

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<v Speaker 2>Runt and Jasper Jones, are studied by students in schools

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<v Speaker 2>around the country, but following a raid on his home

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<v Speaker 2>on Monday, the WA Education Minister has ordered state schools

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<v Speaker 2>not to use texts by the author in classrooms this

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<v Speaker 2>year while the allegations against him are investigated. Today we'll

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<v Speaker 2>explain who Craig Sylvie is, the charges against him, and

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<v Speaker 2>how schools are respect Before we get into it, just

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<v Speaker 2>a heads up that today's episode discusses distressing themes. Listener

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<v Speaker 2>discretion is advised.

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<v Speaker 3>Emma, Do you want to start by just explaining who

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<v Speaker 3>Craig Sylvie is.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he is one of Australia's most prominent authors. If

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<v Speaker 2>you haven't heard of him. There is a good chance

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<v Speaker 2>you've read one of his books, or heard of one

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<v Speaker 2>of his books, or watched it in a film adaptation.

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<v Speaker 2>So we're talking about critically acclaimed titles like Rhubarb, Runt,

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<v Speaker 2>Jasper Jones and Honeybee. Craig Sylvie has won multiple awards

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<v Speaker 2>for those books, both here in Australia and overseas. And

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<v Speaker 2>his book Runt was turned into a movie just in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty four of the same name, and his two

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<v Speaker 2>thousand and nine book Jasper Jones was also made into

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<v Speaker 2>a film and stage production.

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<v Speaker 3>He is such a popular author in Australia. A few

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<v Speaker 3>of us in the office or study Jasper Jones at school. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>I know we'll get into because it is a very

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<v Speaker 3>popular book in the education system.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely.

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<v Speaker 3>And so the reason we're talking about him is because

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<v Speaker 3>he was arrested this week.

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<v Speaker 1>So what was he arrested for.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, On Tuesday afternoon we learned from WA Police that

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<v Speaker 2>a forty three year old man had been arrested in

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<v Speaker 2>Fremantle on Monday. We now know that man is the

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<v Speaker 2>author Craig Sylvie. During a raid of his home on Monday,

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<v Speaker 2>police alleged Sylvie was caught engaging with child exploitation offenders online.

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<v Speaker 3>And so just to be clear, police are saying that

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<v Speaker 3>when they raided his home, he was mid some form

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<v Speaker 3>of child exploitation. So he was kind of their saying,

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<v Speaker 3>allegedly caught in the act.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that is what the allegations say at the moment.

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<v Speaker 2>In a statement, WA Police said that he was immediately

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<v Speaker 2>arrested and his electronic devices were seized. Sylvie was allegedly

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<v Speaker 2>talking to someone online and during that conversation he expressed

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<v Speaker 2>a sexual interest in children, according to police. Investigators also

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<v Speaker 2>claim that there was evidence of image sharing in that conversation. So,

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<v Speaker 2>following the raid on his home, Sylvie was charged with

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<v Speaker 2>possessing and distributing child exploitation material between January seven and

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<v Speaker 2>January nine.

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<v Speaker 1>So this all.

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<v Speaker 3>Relates to child exploitation material. Do you want to just

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<v Speaker 3>explain what that means?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, So, in Western Australia, where Sylvie was arrested and

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<v Speaker 2>where he'll face court, child exploitation material refers to any material,

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<v Speaker 2>including images, video, writings, or data, that depicts or describes

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<v Speaker 2>a person who is under sixteen in a sexual context,

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<v Speaker 2>or being subjected to abuse or cruelty. So again, there

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<v Speaker 2>is a lot we don't know about the specifics of

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<v Speaker 2>the charges against Sylvie, but he's been charged with distributing

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<v Speaker 2>and possessing this kind of material distribution is a more

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<v Speaker 2>serious charge.

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<v Speaker 1>It should be noted.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, So he was arrested and charged earlier this week.

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<v Speaker 3>When this story first broke, there was a lot that

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<v Speaker 3>we didn't know, but now there's been more time we

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<v Speaker 3>have learnt a little bit more about these allegations in

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<v Speaker 3>the days since.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, Yes, so we know now that Sylvie appeared in

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<v Speaker 2>the Fremantle Magistrates Court on Tuesday. No police were entered

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<v Speaker 2>during that hearing, but the ABC did have a reporter

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<v Speaker 2>inside the courtroom at the time and according to their report,

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<v Speaker 2>the police prosecutor told the court that Sylvie was not

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<v Speaker 2>cooperating with investigators. Police are alleging the author refused to

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<v Speaker 2>grant detective's access to his devices, so that included his

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<v Speaker 2>mobile phone and computer, and as a result of this

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<v Speaker 2>alleged non compliance, police opposed bail for Sylvie, so they

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<v Speaker 2>told the court they did not believe that he should

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<v Speaker 2>be released from police custody. The prosecutor, again, according to

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<v Speaker 2>the ABC, said Sylvie quote may hinder the investigation and

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<v Speaker 2>describe him as a flight risk. Now that means police

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<v Speaker 2>are concerned that if he's released from custody, he might

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<v Speaker 2>flee the state or the country as he awaits further proceedings.

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<v Speaker 3>Which would be illegal. Yes, so was Sylvie in the

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<v Speaker 3>end granted bail.

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<v Speaker 2>He actually was granted bail despite the wishes of the

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<v Speaker 2>police prosecutors. But interestingly, he did spend Tuesday night in

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<v Speaker 2>police custody after being granted bail, and that was because

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<v Speaker 2>he didn't meet his bail conditions. Sylvie was granted bail

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<v Speaker 2>with something called a surety as well as a personal undertaking.

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<v Speaker 2>Now that means he was ordered to put forward one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred thousand dollars of his own money to secure bail,

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<v Speaker 2>but he also needed a one hundred thousand dollars surety,

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<v Speaker 2>meaning someone else needed to put forward money, basically vouching

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<v Speaker 2>for Sylvie. Now, the court defines this surety as a

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<v Speaker 2>person who enters into a legally enforceable agreement to forfeit

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<v Speaker 2>a specific amount of money, in this case one hundred

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<v Speaker 2>grand if the person they are standing surety for in

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<v Speaker 2>this case, Sylvie fails to appear at court. So if

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<v Speaker 2>for whatever reason the accused breaches bail conditions, they leave

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<v Speaker 2>the state or country, they miss a hearing, that surety

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<v Speaker 2>amount gets forfeited. Now, at the time of recording, it's

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<v Speaker 2>not clear if Sylvie is still in custody, but we

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<v Speaker 2>know that he could not meet those conditions on Tuesday night,

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<v Speaker 2>got it okay?

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<v Speaker 3>And you mentioned that we don't yet know how Sylvie

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<v Speaker 3>will plead to these charges. Sometimes in these cases we

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<v Speaker 3>would hear from a lawyer on whether or not they are.

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<v Speaker 1>Claiming to be innocent or not. We haven't heard anything right.

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<v Speaker 2>At the time of recording. That's right, we haven't heard anything.

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<v Speaker 2>We don't know how Sylvie will plead, And of course

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<v Speaker 2>it should be noted this is an ongoing investigation and

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<v Speaker 2>Sylvie does have a legal right to presumed innocence and

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<v Speaker 2>a fair trial. That means that the prosecution must prove

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<v Speaker 2>the charges against him beyond reasonable doubt. That will matter

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<v Speaker 2>if he pleads not guilty. It'll be a different situation

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<v Speaker 2>if he pleads guilty.

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<v Speaker 3>And what I said before about many of his books

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<v Speaker 3>are very popular in Australia's education system, and I know

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<v Speaker 3>the WA Department of Education has weighed in on Sylvie's arrest.

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<v Speaker 1>What did they say?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, this is a really interesting aspect of this story,

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<v Speaker 2>and quite an unusual one. The core texts or recommended

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<v Speaker 2>texts that students study in high schools and primary schools

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<v Speaker 2>across the country is determined on a state by state basis,

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<v Speaker 2>but in Wa at least we do know that Sylvie's

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<v Speaker 2>books are included in the curriculums of some of its

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<v Speaker 2>subjects for some students. Now, the Daily Os did reach

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<v Speaker 2>out to the Education Minister there, Sabine Winton, and she

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<v Speaker 2>called the nature of the allegations against Sylvie deeply concerning.

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<v Speaker 2>Wynton confirmed that Jasper Jones and Rubab, two books by

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<v Speaker 2>Craig Sylvie that are included in a list of texts

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<v Speaker 2>that students might study in Year eleven and twelve literature

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<v Speaker 2>or in general English courses, that they would be removed

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<v Speaker 2>this year for study. So in light of the charges

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<v Speaker 2>against the Winton has asked the Department of Education to

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<v Speaker 2>quote ensure that schools cease using texts by Craig Sylvie

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<v Speaker 2>for the twenty twenty six school year while the allegations

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<v Speaker 2>are under investigation. Now there are some Year twelve students

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<v Speaker 2>in Wa who may have already studied Sylvie's books in

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<v Speaker 2>previous years for literature studies. The Education Minister confirmed they

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<v Speaker 2>will not be penalized if they refer to those texts

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<v Speaker 2>in their exams later this year.

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<v Speaker 1>Do we know if any other states will follow suit? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>I did look into this on Wednesday morning and Runt,

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<v Speaker 2>which is a very famous book by Craig Sylvie, was

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<v Speaker 2>included as a Level four English Core text in Victoria.

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<v Speaker 2>But when I checked the list again a few hours

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<v Speaker 2>later on Wednesday afternoon, Runt had actually been removed from

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<v Speaker 2>that document. So I reached out to the Victorian Department

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<v Speaker 2>of Education and a spokesperson told TDA that Sylvie's texts

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<v Speaker 2>have been removed from the Victorian Lessons plans and are

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<v Speaker 2>not on any VCE English or literature lists. So VCE

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<v Speaker 2>is the year eleven and twelve program for school leavers

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<v Speaker 2>in Victoria. The spokesperson also said that Sylvie's books quote

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<v Speaker 2>will not feature in the twenty twenty six Premieres Reading Challenge.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, so what are the next steps here? I presume

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<v Speaker 3>there's a trial that will happen.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, Sylvie is scheduled to appear in court next on

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<v Speaker 2>the tenth of February, so we've got to wait a

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<v Speaker 2>couple more weeks till we learn more about the future

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<v Speaker 2>of this case. We have heard from his publisher, Alan

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<v Speaker 2>and Aunwin. It said it was aware of the allegations,

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<v Speaker 2>which are called deeply distressing, and said the publishing house

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<v Speaker 2>would pause promotional activity of Sylvie's work while the legal

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<v Speaker 2>process takes its course. I did have a quick browse

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<v Speaker 2>online across a few major book retailers, so some retailers,

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<v Speaker 2>including Dimicks and QBD Books have actually removed Sylvie's titles

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<v Speaker 2>from their websites now. In terms of the penalties that

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<v Speaker 2>Sylvie's facing for these child exploitations chargers in wa Specifically,

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<v Speaker 2>a person found guilty of possession of child exploitation material

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<v Speaker 2>could face seven to ten years behind bars, and distributing

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<v Speaker 2>child exploitation material carries a penalty of ten years jail time. Sylvie,

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<v Speaker 2>we know is facing two counts, so that could mean

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<v Speaker 2>a longer penalty or that those sentences are stacked if

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<v Speaker 2>he is found guilty, and the magistrate who granted him

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<v Speaker 2>bail did say that imprisonment is a likely outcome, but

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<v Speaker 2>investigations are continuing. We will continue to keep you guys

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<v Speaker 2>updated as we learn more about this case.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, a very disturbing case. I mean, I've read so

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<v Speaker 3>many of his books and it's something that you just

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<v Speaker 3>never expect to read about such a popular author.

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<v Speaker 1>Emma, thank you for taking us through that.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you, Billy, and thank you for listening to today's episode.

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<v Speaker 3>If it has raised any issues with you, help is available.

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<v Speaker 3>You can call Lifeline on thirteen eleven fourteen or the

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<v Speaker 3>Kids Helpline on one eight hundred fifty five one eight hundred.

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<v Speaker 3>We'll be back with your evening news headlines a little

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<v Speaker 3>later on, but until then, have a good day.

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<v Speaker 1>My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda

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<v Speaker 1>Bungelung Kalkutin woman from Gadighl Country.

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<v Speaker 3>The Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on

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<v Speaker 3>the lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to.

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<v Speaker 1>All Aboriginal and Torres s right island and nations.

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<v Speaker 3>We pay our respects to the first peoples of these countries,

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<v Speaker 3>both past and present.