Australia has been ‘rocked’ this week with allegations of cheating by members of the Australian cricket team. The nation is in mourning; the behaviour an affront to our national identity and sense of worth. The media coverage has been relentless and endless. Such is the central position of cricket in our culture, it has been the lead story on every news bulletin since the story broke.
What concerns me is that judgement and consequence preceded the establishment of fact, whilst the world drew its conclusions based on what they saw replayed and replayed and replayed in visual footage and while everyone became judge, jury and executioner – due process abandoned, placing natural justice, or to put it in the Australian vernacular, ‘a fair go’ at risk. They will possibly have arrived at the same conclusions and consequences, but process and fairness were inverted. I am not making any comment on the actual incident but where was the investigation, why were consequences issued prior to establishing fact and what process enabled the individuals involved to be heard? These are fundamental rights in any disciplinary process.
The absence of due process and good management of the incident, coupled with media hysteria has in my mind inflamed and catastrophized, shamed and damaged. Instead the situation was mismanaged and rumour, supposition, assumptions, judgement, finger pointing and blaming and shaming occurred. Until an investigation takes place and in accord with the principles of natural justice, no conclusions can, or should be reached, nor should consequences be determined.
What has actually been lost is Australia’s adherence to the principles of due process, natural justice, the right to be heard and / or the right to fairness, which I would argue are perhaps of greater importance than an affront to our sporting culture.
I am proud that Hills Grammar does understand these key principles and holds to them when dealing with difficult circumstances or situations. I know there is a lot of emotion and strong feeling around such situations, but an objective and deliberate process is designed to minimise assumptions and rumour. It is important that when schools are confronted with situations such as these that we not allow ourselves to be swayed by gossip, rumour, nor to campaign or behave in ways that are contrary to due process and in pursuit of natural justice.
Welcome
I am pleased to announce that we welcomed this week our new Director of Business Operations, Ms Christine Shaw. In accepting the role Christine commented: ‘I am very excited about this new opportunity and very much looking forward to commencing my journey with Hills Grammar’. Christine comes to us from Masada College where she has worked since 2009 and where she has been a successful School Business Administrator with responsibility for a wide array of business, operational and strategic areas including; Finances, ICT, Property and Facilities, Human Resources, Operations, Compliance, School Management and Planning and Governance. We look forward to working with Christine in the years ahead and in the interest of breathing further life into our Mission and securing our Vision.
Easter Greetings
Wishing all members of the School community a restful and safe four day weekend. We look forward to seeing everyone return on Tuesday next week to finish Term 1 in fine style.
Michael Smith | Principal
Twitter: @Principal_Hills
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