VIM Issue 1 2008 - All Saints College

Cricket Dinner
On Friday, 28th March, the Cricket Presentation
Dinner was held in the All Saints’ College
Dining Room.
Those attending were entertained by an
excellent PowerPoint presentation put together
by the Schwab family, showing highs and
‘lowlights’ of the season. This was followed
by Mr Phillip Cant’s very enlightening speech
about his cricketing experiences and what can
be gained by participation in the game.
The following awards were made:
Under 14s - Luke Rayner (Best Bowler) and
William Hurley (Best Batsman).
1st XI - Cameron Picker (Best Fielder), Joseph
Coughlan (Best Bowler), David Schwab (Best
Batsman), Ryan Smiles (Coach’s Award) and
Shane Rees (Dedication and Enthusiasm).
Special thanks must go to the Schwab and
Dean families for the work they did to make
the evening such a success.
Mr Ray Woods
National Apology to the Stolen Generation
All Saints’ marked the National Apology
to the Stolen Generation with two
simple ceremonies held at the College.
On Tuesday, 12th February two of our
Year 11 students, Rachael McKenzie and
Jessica Alamyar, read out at assembly
the moving story of ‘Greg’ who was
taken from his family as a schoolboy at
the age of 12.
On Wednesday, 13th February, the
Senior and Junior School Captains joined
Aboriginal student Walter Leonard (Year
12) to raise the Aboriginal flag as the
Prime Minister stood in Parliament
to deliver his apology. A transcript of
the apology was read out to the senior
students and staff who had gathered
around the flagpole for the ceremony.
As well as these ceremonies, posters
were put up around the school with
quotes from prominent Australians on
the need for a national apology. Students
also discussed the issue in their History
and Geography classes.
“The stolen generation is not just a
government history; White Australia has
a Black history, each and every one of us
has to embrace” - Tania Major, Young
Australian of the Year 2007 from
Kokoberra.
“The most important part of saying sorry is
to directly benefit those who were the victims
of government policies; it’s important that
these individuals receive care, compassion
and understanding” - Casey Donovan,
Aboriginal descendent and Australian
Idol winner.
“Children are still living in abject poverty
Text of the speech given by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd
“Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest
continuing cultures in human history. We reflect on their past
mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of
those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our
nation’s history. The time has now come for the nation to turn a
new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past
and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments
and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and
loss on these our fellow Australians. We apologise especially for
the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from
their families, their communities and their country. For the pain,
suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants
and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers
and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of
families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and
degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture,
we say sorry. We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request
that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as
part of the healing of the nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in
the history of our great continent can now be written. We today
take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim
to a future that embraces all Australians. A future where this
Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never
happen again. A future where we harness the determination of all
Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that
lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and
economic opportunity. A future where we embrace the possibility
of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have
failed. A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and
mutual responsibility. A future where all Australians, whatever
their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities
and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history
of this great country, Australia”.
in some of our Indigenous communities
where there are poor health standards
and restricted educational opportunities.
The apology can be a platform to build
a better future” - Dr Phillip Aspinall,
Primate of the Anglican Church in
Australia.
Mr Wayne Feebrey
Scholarship Assembly
Twenty-eight scholarships for
academic and music study were
awarded at a special Senior School
Assembly.
Friends, parents and grandparents
joined the Senior School students
for the function.
“You’re good. All of you are very
good, as you have to be to win a
scholarship”. Head of College, Ms
Jenny Williams, told the successful
students before she presented the
scholarship certificates.
Mock Trial Practice Round 2008
On Thursday, 28th February the Mock Trial team competed
against Kelso High School in the first practice round of
the competition. Our team consisted of Emily Brouggy
and Samantha Burbidge as barristers, Ashlie Coates as
solicitor, Stacey Tomlinson and Camille Akon as witnesses
and Siobhan Fogarty as Court Officer. We were prosecuting
Deirdre Allan who we alleged did assault Jane Billings
and did then beat and otherwise ill-treat her thereby
occasioning actual bodily harm. Deirdre Allan claimed
that she had approached Jane Billings (Stacey’s mother
in the case) and had simply asked for payment for some
gardening and lawn mowing work. She claimed that Jane
Billings had refused to pay her and had simply tripped on
a garden gnome and fallen unconscious with a bleeding
nose. We alleged that there was no debt owing and that
Deirdre Allan had struck Ms Billings in anger, rendering
her unconscious. We argued that a police officer had found
Ms Billings on her back with a bleeding nose suggesting
she had been struck in the face rather than falling onto her
face. Despite a bandage around Ms Allan’s wrist suggesting
injured knuckles we were unable to gain a conviction.
Nevertheless we won the important skills side of the trial
207-178 points. We are now preparing for our next case
against James Sheahan Catholic College.
Mrs Catherine Dundon
2008 VIM Committee
Editor: Mr Robert Poole
Graphic Designer: Mrs Cherylene Anderson
Proof Readers: Mrs Tessa Jones,
Mrs Diane Poole and
Mrs Michele Thornton
Please send any stories for the website VIM to
b.poole@saints.nsw.edu.au
Page 28 Vim Term 1 2008 Vim Term 1 2008 Page 5