1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Last week we were made aware of some pretty shocking 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: vision which emerged of a teenager being bashed by girls, 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: well appearingly from to mid Min College. Now, in the footage, 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: the victim is seen on the ground being kicked and 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: punched and having her hair pulled. We spoke to her 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: mum on Friday, who said that her daughter was at 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: breaking point. Now the Education Department yesterday confirmed that support 8 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: was being provided to the victim. Now joining me on 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: the line is Beverly Ratahi, who is indeed the chair 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: of to mid Min College Board. Good morning to you, Beverly. 11 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 2: Yes, good morning Katie, and I'm interstate at the moment. 12 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 2: I've been overseas in inter state, so I have been 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: inundated with contact from parents, community and staff about the incident. Which, yeah, 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 2: I haven't seen that particular vision. That was from what 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: it's been described to me in context of other incidentss 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: over the last twelve months, I believe it's sickening and 17 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: disgraceful conduct, but actually not as the price because as 18 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 2: we know, and I've just had a senator price on 19 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 2: your show, these youth behavior issues have been escalating more 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: broadly in our community. You know, over the last twelve 21 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 2: months in particular, probably the last six months. So schools 22 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 2: are just reflective of what's happening more broadly. 23 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: So Beverly, you know what's your reaction. I know you've 24 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: said you've been getting plenty of messages and contact from 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: people as you've been away. You know what have they 26 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: been saying to you as the chair after seeing that 27 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: vision and getting a better understanding of what unfolded. 28 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 2: Well, so it is important to note it did happen 29 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 2: off school grounds. But I do understand there were some students. 30 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: But you know, there's a range of procedures I think 31 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 2: that really need looking at. So the first one is, 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: at the moment the Department of Education is able to 33 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: override the advice of the principle in regard to suspension. Now, 34 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: anybody is sitting in an office who does not know 35 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: a students, their family or the contexts just should not 36 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 2: do that. The principal and the senior staff of the 37 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: school and the teachers know best what's going on. So 38 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 2: that's the first thing that we need to look at. 39 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 2: But the other thing is there are some students who 40 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: would wear a suspension as a badge of honor. There 41 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: should be no student on suspension who was able to 42 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 2: sit at home for whatever amount of time. If anything, 43 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 2: they should actually be involved in programs. You pick them 44 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: up at six o'clock in the morning and get them 45 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 2: out to do some exercise, do their school work with them, 46 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: tommunity service and do some of that important hard hitting 47 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: work that needs to be done. Take them to the hospital, 48 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: show them. You know the effects. We all know what's 49 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: happened into state with coward punctes. We know it's going 50 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 2: to end up there's going to be a tragedy. So yesterday, 51 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 2: while I was traveling through South Australia, I tuned into Parliament. 52 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: The amount of times when I could get signs, the 53 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 2: amount of times I heard the words from Labor members 54 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 2: and Minister's prevention, early intervention diversion. Well, this is where 55 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 2: we need start, not when kids are heading for john Dale. 56 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: We need that now and we have the gaps ripped 57 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: out of services to schools. As you know, I have 58 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 2: been on your show how many times over the last 59 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 2: couple of years about school boys constables and the advice 60 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: I've had from staff in regard to last week is 61 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 2: very much. If we had had our comfortables, this would 62 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 2: not have had. Now, that's not a wake up call 63 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 2: to the files labor government to say reinstate the constables 64 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 2: will it should be. But we've also had cuts to 65 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: counselor services over the last couple of years. You know, 66 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: while these girls are on suspension, what's the the Department 67 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 2: Central Counselors doing in regard to girls programs? There's all 68 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 2: these resources. Don't wait till these kids get onto the 69 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 2: street and do cower punches and kill somebody. Get them 70 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: into schools. 71 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: Now, Beverly, some people listening this morning are going to think, 72 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: could the school have done more to either prevent this 73 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: from happening or you know, to ensure that there was 74 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: adequate repercussions for what they've done. 75 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 2: Well, from what I understand is that the students involved 76 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 2: have received the maximum suspension, as absolutely they should. No 77 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: schools are our teaching staff, our staff at schools, they 78 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 2: are all run raggits already. We need some additional supports 79 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: put into schools to support them. Yeah, I think again, 80 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: I've been non about we've had overcrowding at school this 81 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: year since we've since the fire has taken out of building. 82 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: I understand these things. The discussion again recently about taking 83 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: those amountables before we can be confirmed that Maxisteine will 84 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: be online. We've got issues with the school bus services 85 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: because I think every day I hear something as well. 86 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 2: I've heard cheesy epiric on saying there's a lack of drivers. 87 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 2: So what that means is teenagers at the end of 88 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 2: the day having to mingle, you know, their loitering around longer, 89 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: waiting for buses. So all these factors are building up 90 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: to create you know, a hotbed of teenage emotions, you know, 91 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 2: getting together the opportunities for the clique. You know, we 92 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 2: need to we need to absolutely be getting services in 93 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 2: and whether that means if kids are waiting longer at 94 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 2: school half hour in the afternoon, what other services and 95 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 2: programs could be at school to you know, to actually 96 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 2: diffuse some of this conflict. 97 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: Yea deadly you know, even when we spoke to the 98 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: mother of this young girl on the show on Friday 99 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: and had spoken about you know, her mental health at 100 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: this point in time, the department has said that they're 101 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: providing support. But do you think that if there was 102 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 1: a counselor at the school, and if there was support 103 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: that's actually at the school, that would make a difference. 104 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 2: Well, and we've been so concerned over the last twelve 105 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 2: months that the board has actually implored our own school 106 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: counselor I should have another one because the recommendation is 107 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 2: one counselor at five hundred students. But yeah, there absolutely 108 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: does need to be additional support. I know the department 109 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,919 Speaker 2: has been trying to recruit, but if you can't get counselors, 110 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 2: you need to start looking at what other services you 111 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 2: can do, you know, and whether that's remote Kelly health 112 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 2: type thing with preventive programs. But you can't just say well, 113 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: we're trying to recruit and we can't. You've got to 114 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 2: actually look at them. Innovatives, age along flexible to look 115 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: at them. So you know, the one thing if the 116 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 2: Files Labor government wanted to actually do one thing that 117 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 2: would have an immediate and positive effect on youth prime 118 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 2: youth behavior diversion would be degree in shapeful those comfortable 119 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 2: and it defied logic Katie that I think next week 120 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 2: the Parliament will be debating the amendments to the increase 121 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: in the age of Criminal Responsibility from ten to twelve, 122 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: and the focus of that is actually right, you diverting 123 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: to you, and so I'm going. If you want to 124 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: do early intervention, you can't do much earlier than getting 125 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 2: services in skod Well. 126 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: Beverly Ratihi, the chair of the Timan Men College Board, 127 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: I appreciate your time this morning. Thank you for coming 128 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: on and speaking with us. 129 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: Not a problem at all, Katie, thank you, thank you. 130 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 2: Have a great day. 131 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: Thank you.