SMH defies ‘repressive’ law and risks $55,000 fine

Tim Burrowes

November 12, 2009 9:29

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.

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.