AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2009
Qld: Schoolyard death prompts 'one punch can kill' warning
BUNDABERG, Aug 30 AAP - Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has described as "shocking" a
school-yard fight that led to the death of a 15-year-old boy while her police commissioner
again warned the state's young that "one punch can kill".
Jai Morcom died at Gold Coast Hospital on Saturday morning after suffering head injuries
allegedly during a fight at Mullumbimby High School on the NSW north coast on Friday.
Ms Bligh on Sunday offered her sympathies to the boy's parents, describing their son's
death as "tragic and shocking".
"We send our children to school and expect that they'll be safe there," she told reporters
in Bundaberg.
"I hope that this is a one-off extreme incident."
She said violence was intolerable anywhere, but especially at schools.
"I don't think there's ever been a time where there hasn't been school-yard scuffles
but this goes way beyond that," Ms Bligh said.
"This is a shocking incident."
Speaking alongside the premier, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said police had not
necessarily noticed rising levels of violence at schools.
Instead, several high-profile cases in recent years had put youth violence in the spotlight,
he said.
Mr Atkinson made special mention of Matthew Stanley, a 15-year-old boy who died when
he was bashed at a party on Brisbane's bayside in 2006.
His death triggered an education campaign with the tag line "One punch can kill".
"I know it may seem at times there's more violence these days than there ever was before
but I'm not actually convinced and sure that that is the case," Mr Atkinson said.
"But, certainly, I think there's a greater awareness today of the tragic consequences
of violence and that message one punch can kill is one that we need to get out there over
and over again, not to resolve arguments through violence."
AAP jmm/cdh
KEYWORD: BOY QLD
2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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