SMH defies ‘repressive’ law and risks $55,000 fine
The Sydney Morning Herald has risked being slapped with a $55,000 fine by today publishing and comparing test results of three schools .
It has published numeracy and literacy results for Sydney Girls High, Hornsby Girls High and Macarthur Girls High on its front page.
But NSW law states that publishing exam results of just two schools could result in a fine. This is in spite of the federal Education Minister Julia Gillard announcing that it plans to publish test results from around the country on a new website to be launched in January.
SMH editor Peter Fray told Mumbrella he decided to publish the results because it is in the interests of parents to know more about the schools they are enrolling their children in.
He adds: “I do not believe it is in the interests of a functioning democracy to fine a newspaper for publishing such information.
“We wanted to point out the absurdity of the law – having the same information published on the internet and for that same information to be published by a newspaper and risk a fine, could someone please explain the logic in that if there is any? It’s a repressive and stupid law.”
Fray said he had not received any complaints about the story at the time Mumbrella contacted him this morning.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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