Morning News Bulletin 6 September 2024

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Calls for urgent action on funding gap between public and private school in Australia; Michel Barnier becomes France's new Prime Minister; Lauren Parker makes history as Australia's first dual-sport Paralympic gold medallist - at the same Games - in 48 years.


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TRANSCRIPT
  • Calls for urgent action on funding gap between public and private school in Australia
  • Michel Barnier becomes France's new Prime Minister
  • Australian Lauren Parker makes history at the Paralympics
The Australian Education Union says funding gaps between public and private school students of up to $7,282 per child must be urgently addressed.

The union has released a report based on school finance data that shows more than half the nation's private schools receive more combined government funding per student than comparable public schools.

The report says on average, each private school will receive $462 per student above their full Schooling Resource Standard in combined government funding in 2024, while every public school will be underfunded by $2509 per student.

The union's federal president, Correna Haythorpe, says the findings underline the urgent need for public schools to be fully funded by all governments.

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The role of alcohol in icreasing the severity of domestic and sexual violence, and a failure to protect vulnerable children in the youth justice system, have been identified as urgent areas needing reform.

Women's safety and domestic violence will be at the forefront of a discussion between federal, state and territory leaders today [[6 Sept]].

The National Children's Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, says the decision to exclude a specific discussion on children's safety within the national cabinet meeting means there is no accountability for failing policy.

She says the tough-on-crime language used by political leaders and threats to lock children up are counterintuitive, as it only increases the chances of reoffending.

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The European Union's former Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been named the Prime Minister of France.

It comes two months after snap elections ended in a political deadlock.

At 73 years of age, Mr Barnier is the oldest prime minister in the history of modern France.

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Gaza’s Health Ministry has accused Israel of blocking polio vaccination teams from entering areas east of Salah al-Din road in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military says it is checking the report.

Previously, Israel has said it would allow the vaccination program to continue until September 9.

More than 189,000 children have been vaccinated in the first phase of the vaccination campaign in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric urged Israel to allow humanitarian organisations to carry out their crucial work providing food and supplies in Gaza.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains beyond catastrophic. And we still do not have all the conditions necessary to support people near the scale that they actually need. Ongoing hostilities, damaged roads and the breakdown of law and order; and access to limitations have resulted in critical shortages of aid, commodities to sustain operations."

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In sports, Lauren Parker has made history at the Paralympics, becoming Australia's first dual-sport Paralympic gold medallist at the same Games in 48 years.

Parker came first in the H1-4 para-cycling road race, finishing 4 minutes and 11 seconds ahead of reigning Paralympic champion Jennette Janson.

That gold came after she picked up silver in the H1-3 individual time trial the day before and after she took first place in the PTWC1 para-triathlon on Monday.

And there were two more gold medals for Australia, with long jump star Vanessa Low successfully defending the title she won in Tokyo, while also setting a new world record in the T63 final.

Para swimmer Timothy Hodge won his first individual Paralympic Games gold medal in the men's 200m individual medley SM9 final.

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In cycling, Australian Ben O'Connor has held onto his five-second lead in the Vuelta a España after stage 18.

Spain's Urko Berrade won the stage with a late breakaway in the Basque hills.

The northern Spanish terrain proved challenging, with a leading group of 13 riders still together up the final serious ascent before the last 40km to the finish line.

O'Connor says it was a tough stage.

"It wasn't an easy stage at all, to be honest today. There is no easy days in La Vuelta a España this year. We've raced every single day and everyone is just tired - but somehow still managing to crack out some pretty good numbers. So I am still in the lead. It is nice to have it for another day. What is it? Is it 13 or 14 days? A long time. So I have loved it and I have enjoyed it a lot."

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