Reports of shooting in southern France

There are reports of a shooting near a train station in the city of Nimes in southern France.

Spanish media is reporting three armed people got off a train at the station before opening fire.

There are reports one person has been arrested.

More to come.

CLIP here: Reports of shooting in southern France

WA Education Dept unaware of ‘hundreds’ of child sex offenders attending schools

The Department of Education has been unaware of a large number of child sex offenders attending schools in Western Australia.

‘Hundreds’ of children aged between 10 and 17 years have slipped under the radar of ministers, who called an urgent meeting to discuss the risk in March.

According to documents obtained by WA Today, it is ‘likely there are offenders in schools unknown to the school or department administration and therefore no risk management or support is in place.’

Data from the Children’s Court of WA shows 132 students in the 10-17 age bracket were charged with sex offences in 2015 and 2016.

Nearly 600 children were charged with sexual assault and related offences between June of 2010 and 2015.

Recently there was outrage from Western Australian parents after it was revealed three boys who were either charged or accused of rape had returned to school without the community being informed.

Current laws have created animosity between parents, schools and the government as the state is not required to inform the appropriate bodies about a child’s criminal past because of a minor’s statutory right to have a protected identity and an education.

Children are able to return to a school without any medical assessments or relaying of information to the school and community.

Parents have demanded changes to laws that see children with convicted and accused violent pasts return to schools where they have offended.

Parents are demanding a change to laws that allow offenders to return to schools without medical assessment and informing the local community

One incident saw a ten-year-old plead guilty to sexually penetrating a child and threatening to kill an eight-year-old in December of 2016.

The boy returned to school after the charges were dropped because he was not mentally fit to stand trial, only for public outrage to force his removal in February this year after not being informed of the situation.

Bail conditions for the boy demanded he attend school, further complicating the issue.

“When it comes to someone at such a young age, everybody in the government, police etc, just really don’t know how to handle it,’ a spokesman for a group of parents told WA Today.

The emergency meeting, overseen by Education Minister Sue Ellery, discussed using the system of Isolated and Distance Education, that serves children living in isolated regions of Western Australia, but many child sex offenders did not have the appropriate supervision.

Ellery’s notes from the meeting stated bail conditions applied to most of the offenders ‘prevent them from having contact with other children except for when in school.’

The government conceded it was difficult to find fair ground for all parties, but that the situation was most effectively handled when the child sex offender is ‘not placed in a school or similar environment where other children attend.’

Source: Education Department unaware hundreds child sex offenders | Daily Mail Online

Economy top priority for new WA premier

A smiling and relaxed Mr McGowan fronted the media on Sunday, just hours after leading Labor to a landslide win over the two-term Barnett Liberal government.

“It’s one of those happy surprises in life that sometimes comes along,” he said of winning about 40 of the 59 seats.

“I think the scale of the swing shows how people really wanted a fresh start and a change.”

But Mr McGowan was focused on how his government would tackle the challenges ahead.

“We have a serious financial situation in Western Australia and a serious economic situation,” he told reporters in his home suburb and electorate of Rockingham.

“We’ll go through budget and cut out any wasteful expenditure.”

He and his treasury team – likely to include an Australian first with Yamatji man Ben Wyatt as treasurer – would get started as soon possible…

MORE: Economy top priority for new WA premier | The West Australian

Pauline Hanson says ‘bloody lefties filling children’s heads with rubbish’ in school are to blame for social issues in Western Australia

Aust to call out US if things go off rails

Aust to call out US if things go off rails

Former defence force chief Angus Houston insists Australia won’t have a problem calling the US out if things go off the rails in the unpredictable Trump era.

Sir Angus made the case for retaining the US-Australia security alliance despite the uncertainty posed by President Donald Trump, during an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday.

He characterised the alliance as an insurance policy without substitute, however it didn’t mean Australia had to “slavishly follow everything the United States does”.

“We are not people who just go along and say, ‘Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir’,” he said.

“When things are not going the way they should, we call it out.”

Source: Aust to call out US if things go off rails | Perth Now