Parliamentary Speeches
Death of Jai Morcom (02/09/2009)
Mr DONALD PAGE (Ballina) [2.18 p.m.]: The death of 15-year-old student Jai Morcom following physical violence in the grounds of Mullumbimby High School last Friday is a tragedy for Jai, his family, his school and the local community. I thank the Minister for Education and Training for the support she has outlined that will be provided to the school community. While the precise details of what happened last Friday are subject to a police investigation and are not entirely clear, there is no doubt that when a parent sends their child off to school they do not expect that the next time they will see their child is in an unconscious state in a hospital's intensive care unit, the result of physical violence in a school yard. Schools are supposed to be safe places for all who attend.
On behalf of Opposition members—and I am sure on behalf of the Independent members as well—I join with the Government and the Minister in extending our deepest sympathy to Jai's mother, Kim Morcom, his father, Steve Drummond, his sisters Kyra and Jade, and his brother Mayo. We also extend our sympathy to Jai's many school and other friends, the school community and all those directly affected by this terrible event. The tragedy has cut short Jai's life, deprived his mother and father of their son, and taken a brother from his sisters and brother. Jai's friends have lost a good mate. I understand that Jai was very well liked by all who knew him. Indeed, there are reports that Jai was acting as a peacemaker between two fighting students when he suffered his head injury. Much has been said in the media about this tragedy in connection with bullying in our schools and beyond, and the apparent acceptance by some young people that violence can be used as a means for settling conflict, and possible problems within the school itself, including overcrowding and inadequate seating in school grounds. Those are important issues to be investigated and that investigation must occur.
Yesterday the students at the school initially staged a protest, which turned into a tearful memorial for Jai. There is a move to get everyone to fly a blue balloon on their letterbox as a sign of peace next Saturday, the day of Jai's funeral, and I support that initiative. Having been to Mullumbimby High School on many occasions over the years, and certainly judging from its Higher School Certificate results, it has always impressed me as a good school with a dedicated staff, many of whom I know personally. It has a good track record of achievement in the classroom, on the sporting field and in the local community. It would compound the tragedy of Jai's lost life if we simply chose to blame and stigmatise the school for what has happened. Equally, however, we would not do justice to Jai and his family if we did not ask, "Could this tragedy have been prevented?" Are there important lessons to come from this sad experience, not just for Mullumbimby High School but for all schools across the State? If changes need to be made to make this school, and other schools like it, safer places to be then those changes will have to be made.
Today is not a day to have this debate, but violence in our schools is an issue we have to address. We cannot allow schoolyard violence to play any part in our education system. Today the only comment I would make of a policy nature is that there needs to be more student input and ownership of the codes of conduct of schools. If students have some ownership of their code of conduct they are more likely to enforce it themselves, and we are less likely to see a repeat of what happened last Friday. Again I extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to Jai's family and friends. I await with interest the results of the police investigation. I hope that those involved in the fight will reflect on their actions, and the consequences of those actions, and that we never see a repeat of this tragedy in our schools again.
