Latest news with #Erin Patterson
ABC News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
ABC NEWS top digital news brand in June
ABC NEWS was again Australia's top digital news provider in June with a monthly audience of 12 million people, according to the latest Ipsos iris data released today. Average read time for the ABC NEWS website across the month was also the highest of the top 10 brands at 31 minutes. The overall news digital audience was down in June after federal election coverage drove record audiences in May. Big national news stories during the month included the disappearance of Queensland teenager Phoebe Bishop, coverage of the Erin Patterson 'mushroom murder' trial and the second game of the 2025 NRL State of Origin series. Major global news events included the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, including the US air strikes on Iran, the LA protests, the Air India plane crash and the celebrity wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez.
RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
No psychometric testing review in Australian aviation after Erin Patterson, Greg Lynn cases
By Daniel Ziffer , ABC Erin Patterson. Photo: ABC News The aviation sector was once home to two of Australia's most high-profile murderers, however, documents reveal Airservices Australia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority have not reviewed their systems of psychometric testing. The ABC sought documents through the Freedom of Information (FOI) process about former air traffic controller Erin Patterson, former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn and the testing used to assess the suitability of people in the aviation industry. Last week, Patterson was found guilty of three counts of murder and one of attempted murder, for fatally poisoning her lunch guests with a beef Wellington dish containing death cap mushrooms. Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn was found guilty of murdering Carol Clay during a campsite dispute in Victoria's High Country in 2020. The fight, which was not witnessed by anyone else, also resulted in the death of Ms Clay's companion, Russell Hill. Lynn continues to maintain his innocence, arguing that he was not to blame for either death and is appealing the jury's decision that he murdered Ms Clay. Erin Scutter (who later became Erin Patterson) pictured during an Airservices Australia class in 2001. Photo: Supplied/ABC News Erin Patterson, then Erin Scutter, was employed by Airservices Australia as an air traffic controller from February 12, 2001 to November 28, 2002. She was charged with murder in 2023. The ABC sought documents from Airservices Australia that covered any reviews or reports on the psychometric testing regime in the four years to May 2025. Psychometric tests measure an individual's mental capabilities and behavioural style, and are used by government departments and private companies to assess candidates and employees. The tests may be used to assess suitability for roles, suggesting how someone would cope in jobs that involve stressful or demanding tasks. In addition, Airservices was requested to check for any meetings about psychometric testing that included a senior management member in the same time period. Its response to both queries was that nothing was found, despite liaising with its people and culture department, who manage the providers of Airservices' psychometric testing. "P&C confirmed they do not hold any relevant documents, and neither were they aware of any review or report in this regard." Asked for further information, Airservices Australia declined to comment beyond confirming the dates of Erin Patterson's employment. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has been asked repeatedly about its testing since Greg Lynn was charged with murder. The FOI documents revealed that in March 2022, a journalist from The Australian asked how Greg Lynn passed a medical exam months after the High Country deaths. The extensive response discussed the assessment process for people to hold "aviation medical certificates" including mental health checks. "Aviation medical examiners, community consulting medical practitioners and the CASA Medical Officers together apply their extensive clinical and aviation medical experience to work with the person holding the certificate, to ensure their mental health is not an issue for their aviation activities," CASA said. "Personality and behaviour issues are not the same as issues with mental health or the presence of mental illness, although they can be linked. "Although violent offenders may be more likely to have a mental health disorder than people who do not commit violent acts, it is important to be clear that people with mental illness are not destined to become violent offenders, and most violent offenders do not have a mental illness." Psychometric testing is used to measure intellectual aptitude and personality traits, rather than as a method to diagnose a mental health condition. CASA also has a system in place for the reporting of "unsafe behaviours" such as excessive drinking, which are "reviewed and investigated as appropriate". "It is the sad reality that people from all walks of life are capable of violent acts that can't be predicted with any form of medical examination or assessment," the safety authority said. Contacted about the assessment and any changes since that time, a CASA spokesperson said the agency "thoroughly assesses the health of every commercial airline pilot and air traffic controller". "Further psychometric testing may be used in specific situations where necessary, such as where a head injury or mild cognitive impairment is involved," the spokesperson said. "CASA works closely with community medical practitioners and aviation employers to identify and address current, and the risk of future, health issues." The trial of Greg Lynn over the deaths of Carol Clay and Russell Hill in the remote Wonnangatta Valley may have transfixed the nation, but it didn't appear to cause discussion at Airservices Australia. In a three-year period covering his arrest and eventual conviction, "Greg Lynn was not the subject of discussion, correspondence, meetings etc", a spokesperson said. While the name "Greg Lynn" appeared in the results captured by routine media summary emails that collate articles from news media websites, which are then circulated to Airservices personnel for interest, an FOI request returned no responses. A separate request for documents relating to Erin Patterson was declined, on the grounds the documents were exempt due to "affecting enforcement of law", concerned "Commonwealth-State relations" and could impact the "personal privacy" of Patterson and others. In declining the documents, Airservices Australia said it had consulted with officers of the Victorian government, but that the "ongoing matter currently before the courts" meant any release of the material "could reasonably be expected to prejudice the conduct of the investigation". "I consider that disclosure of the documents would prejudice the current investigations on foot. I consider it likely that the documents and the parties involved, will be subject to scrutiny over matters which have not been thoroughly investigated by the appropriate law enforcement agency," it said. In refusing the release, the decision maker said if the documents were made public, it was likely that "the relevant parties would be discouraged from actively participating in the current investigation" and this could prejudice the current investigation. Erin Patterson arriving in the back of a prison transport vehicle at Latrobe Valley Magistrate's Court in Morwell, Australia. Photo: AFP / MARTIN KEEP The Freedom of Information (FOI) process - also called Right To Information (RTI) in some jurisdictions - aims to give people access to information created by government agencies and departments. The vast majority of requests are from people seeking their own records or details of their interactions with a department. Federally the department that fields the most requests is Home Affairs (which manages visas) and Services Australia (which manages Centrelink). In states and territories, most applications tend to be to agencies that deal with the public, such as the police and hospitals. Journalists, researchers, think-tanks and politicians also use the process to examine government decision making and outcomes. Search "FOI" on the website of the department or agency you are seeking information from. Charges may apply. - ABC
ABC News
14-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Erin Patterson mushroom deaths trial raises family pain of four poisoned children
The high-profile trial of mushroom poisoning killer Erin Patterson has brought up 160-year-old scars of four tragic deaths in SA's south east. In May 1861, at Hynam — east of Naracoorte — Sophia, Charles, Emma and Susan Norris, aged between seven and one, died from poisoning after eating foraged wild mushrooms. They were believed to have eaten Galerina marginata or funeral bell, which were commonly mistaken for edible honey mushrooms. Noel Norris, whose grandfather was a sibling of the Norris children, said the tragedy stayed with the family for decades. "It wasn't discussed very much for many years, because it was still pretty raw and tender, even after 100 years," he said. "My grandfather would never speak of it. "I did know about it but I didn't take it too seriously. "It was almost told to me like a bit of a children's story." Mr Norris and his wife searched for where the children were buried, eventually finding them in the Hynam cemetery in 2017. The grave was marked out with a fence and a plaque telling the children's story. "It must've been absolutely horrific and I think it left a scar on the Norris family, until now where we've been able to find the graves," he said. Mr Norris said the recently completed trial of Erin Patterson in Victoria brought up some of the emotions. "It brings it back to mind, but our story has been basically put to rest," he said. "We've gone through all the agonies of putting the children to rest, so whilst it does it bring it back, it's at arms length." In South Australia, 932 mushroom-related calls were made to the Poison Information Centre in the decade from 2015 until 2024, most of which were children aged less than five. Of those, 319 cases were referred to hospital. Mr Norris said his great aunts and uncle's stories should serve as a reminder for people of how dangerous mushrooms could be. "Even back from those years of when my family members died, there was still no real realisation of how deadly they can be," he said. "It's only this trial that's brought it back to people's mind to be a bit more aware. "It's a cautionary tale what happened to those beautiful children, but it hasn't stood up and people forget." Hynam Heritage Group secretary Lyn Schinckel said it had long been rumoured the children were buried at Hynam. "Nobody seemed to know where," she said. "There were stories that they weren't allowed to be buried here because it was a private cemetery. "One of the members decided to get the ground-penetrating radar here to actually find if and where they were." Mrs Schinckel was among the attendees at the ceremony in 2017. "We were pretty excited that we'd found something useful that no one else really knew," she said. "It was a very moving little ceremony, particularly for Noel and his wife. "We always knew what had happened but not really how it had finished or where it had finished."
Daily Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Mushroom cook Erin Patterson broke down during murder trial
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. For ten weeks, Erin Patterson remained composed as a jury decided whether a poisoned beef Wellington lunch she cooked was a deliberate and callous act of murder, or a tragic accident. She was found guilty of the murders of three family members and the attempted murder of a fourth with the meal that had been spiked with death cap mushrooms on July 29, 2023, at her home in a small Victorian dairy town. Now the verdict is in, a key moment of weakness in the second week of the trial that saw her break down sobbing moments after the jury left the room can be revealed. The mother-of-two had spent two days listening to her son and daughter's interviews with police, with topics ranging from what the kids knew of the lunch, what they did after, and the disintegration of their parents' marriage. Erin Patterson was found guilty of three counts of murder after preparing the fatal beef Wellington lunch that ended in the deaths of three family members. Picture: Brooke Grebert-Craig. Photos of the remnants of the beef Wellington meal, taken in for testing, were released after the trial found Erin Patterson guilty of three counts of murder. Picture: Supplied Patterson, wearing a long brown cardigan and green top, sat in the dock watching a screen as video showed her daughter telling police she wasn't present at the lunch, 'so I don't know what happened'. The nine-year-old told her interviewer her mum told her she would be going to see a movie with her older brother and another boy the morning of the lunch. She said she saw 'meat' in the oven and Patterson was making a coffee as she explained she wanted to have lunch with her in-laws to discuss 'adult stuff'. 'I don't exactly know what they had but I know (brother) and me had leftovers the next day,' she said. The young girl said she went to the cinema around midday on July 29, had McDonald's for lunch and was picked up by her dad Simon Patterson, whom she spent the evening with. Later that night, the girl said Patterson told them they were having 'leftovers' with meat, mashed potato and green beans served. 'She wasn't really hungry so (brother) ate the rest of hers,' she said. There was no suggestion during the trial that the children's meals were contaminated with death cap mushrooms. The girl told police Patterson loved to cook and she would often help to bake sweet treats. Her older brother's interview was played next, the boy telling police he had arrived home on the day of the fatal lunch about 30 minutes before their grandparents Don and Gail Patterson, and great aunt and uncle Ian and Heather Wilkinson left. He agreed it appeared the group had a good time and said he spoke with his grandfather, Don, about his flying lessons before going to play video games with a friend. Don and Gail Patterson died after ingesting poisonous mushrooms. Picture: supplied Korumburra pastor Ian Wilkinson survived despite being left fighting for life but his wife Heather Wilkinson died after the lunch. Picture: Supplied After they said their goodbyes, the boy said he helped his mother clean up from lunch. 'I remember taking some plates up to the sink and putting them in the dishwasher,' he said. 'I collected all the plates put them in a pile next to the sink … I collected all the glasses put them near the sink.' He said he did not recall any remnants of food on the plates, which he believed were 'plain white' dinner plates about 15cm in diameter. The boy spoke with police about how his mother told him she felt sick the morning after the lunch, forcing them to skip church, but was adamant she would drive him the hour to his flying lesson. He told officers that the following Monday, he and his sister were pulled out of school by their father Simon and taken to the Monash Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where he visited his mother and had three blood tests over Monday and Tuesday before being sent home. The police line of questioning then turned to the relationship between Patterson and her husband, with the boy detailing a 'very negative' shift in his parents' relationship ahead of the fatal lunch. Killer mushroom cook Erin Patterson was convicted after a 10-week trial. Picture: NewsWire / Anita Lester As her son's police interview was played in court, the mother-of-two appeared glassy eyed and trying to hold back tears. The 14-year-old boy said he knew his dad didn't like that Patterson had moved the boy to another school, and wanted to be on the paperwork for his son's new school. 'Dad wouldn't talk to mum about that,' he said. He told the interviewer he and his sister had previously been staying with Simon Patterson after school Friday through to Monday and with Patterson from Monday evening though to Friday morning. But in the past year they had only stayed at their mother's home, by choice. 'For the past year we've been living at mum's, sleeping at mum's, for the last year he's trying to get me and (sister) to stay at his … but I didn't really want to,' he said. 'I told him I really didn't want to because he never did anything with us over the weekend.' Patterson appeared glassy-eyed during the interview, but managed to maintain her composure. Moments after the jury were excused and the room was clear, she broke down in heaving sobs. She was red faced and gasping for breath as her barrister, Colin Mandy SC, walked over to the stand to offer some reassuring words. The only other time Patterson displayed any clear emotion in the courtroom was when she was in the witness box. Her voice faltered and she was seen dabbing her eyes with a tissue whenever she responded to questions about her children. When the jury returned on Tuesday with their verdict, and hundreds gathered outside the courtroom to hear their verdict, Patterson looked only slightly nervous as she tried to meet each juror's eye and failed. She remained expressionless as the forewoman softly said 'guilty' in response to each charge. Patterson, who has maintained her innocence throughout the two-year saga, is expected to appeal the jury's decision. Originally published as Moment mushroom cook Erin Patterson broke down during murder trial
News.com.au
11-07-2025
- News.com.au
Moment mushroom cook Erin Patterson broke down during murder trial
For ten weeks, Erin Patterson remained composed as a jury decided whether a poisoned beef Wellington lunch she cooked was a deliberate and callous act of murder, or a tragic accident. She was found guilty of the murders of three family members and the attempted murder of a fourth with the meal that had been spiked with death cap mushrooms on July 29, 2023, at her home in a small Victorian dairy town. Now the verdict is in, a key moment of weakness in the second week of the trial that saw her break down sobbing moments after the jury left the room can be revealed. The mother-of-two had spent two days listening to her son and daughter's interviews with police, with topics ranging from what the kids knew of the lunch, what they did after, and the disintegration of their parents' marriage. Patterson, wearing a long brown cardigan and green top, sat in the dock watching a screen as video showed her daughter telling police she wasn't present at the lunch, 'so I don't know what happened'. The nine-year-old told her interviewer her mum told her she would be going to see a movie with her older brother and another boy the morning of the lunch. She said she saw 'meat' in the oven and Patterson was making a coffee as she explained she wanted to have lunch with her in-laws to discuss 'adult stuff'. 'I don't exactly know what they had but I know (brother) and me had leftovers the next day,' she said. The young girl said she went to the cinema around midday on July 29, had McDonald's for lunch and was picked up by her dad Simon Patterson, whom she spent the evening with. Later that night, the girl said Patterson told them they were having 'leftovers' with meat, mashed potato and green beans served. 'She wasn't really hungry so (brother) ate the rest of hers,' she said. There was no suggestion during the trial that the children's meals were contaminated with death cap mushrooms. The girl told police Patterson loved to cook and she would often help to bake sweet treats. Her older brother's interview was played next, the boy telling police he had arrived home on the day of the fatal lunch about 30 minutes before their grandparents Don and Gail Patterson, and great aunt and uncle Ian and Heather Wilkinson left. He agreed it appeared the group had a good time and said he spoke with his grandfather, Don, about his flying lessons before going to play video games with a friend. After they said their goodbyes, the boy said he helped his mother clean up from lunch. 'I remember taking some plates up to the sink and putting them in the dishwasher,' he said. 'I collected all the plates put them in a pile next to the sink … I collected all the glasses put them near the sink.' He said he did not recall any remnants of food on the plates, which he believed were 'plain white' dinner plates about 15cm in diameter. The boy spoke with police about how his mother told him she felt sick the morning after the lunch, forcing them to skip church, but was adamant she would drive him the hour to his flying lesson. He told officers that the following Monday, he and his sister were pulled out of school by their father Simon and taken to the Monash Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where he visited his mother and had three blood tests over Monday and Tuesday before being sent home. The police line of questioning then turned to the relationship between Patterson and her husband, with the boy detailing a 'very negative' shift in his parents' relationship ahead of the fatal lunch. As her son's police interview was played in court, the mother-of-two appeared glassy eyed and trying to hold back tears. The 14-year-old boy said he knew his dad didn't like that Patterson had moved the boy to another school, and wanted to be on the paperwork for his son's new school. 'Dad wouldn't talk to mum about that,' he said. He told the interviewer he and his sister had previously been staying with Simon Patterson after school Friday through to Monday and with Patterson from Monday evening though to Friday morning. But in the past year they had only stayed at their mother's home, by choice. 'For the past year we've been living at mum's, sleeping at mum's, for the last year he's trying to get me and (sister) to stay at his … but I didn't really want to,' he said. 'I told him I really didn't want to because he never did anything with us over the weekend.' Patterson appeared glassy-eyed during the interview, but managed to maintain her composure. Moments after the jury were excused and the room was clear, she broke down in heaving sobs. She was red faced and gasping for breath as her barrister, Colin Mandy SC, walked over to the stand to offer some reassuring words. The only other time Patterson displayed any clear emotion in the courtroom was when she was in the witness box. Her voice faltered and she was seen dabbing her eyes with a tissue whenever she responded to questions about her children. When the jury returned on Tuesday with their verdict, and hundreds gathered outside the courtroom to hear their verdict, Patterson looked only slightly nervous as she tried to meet each juror's eye and failed. She remained expressionless as the forewoman softly said 'guilty' in response to each charge. Patterson, who has maintained her innocence throughout the two-year saga, is expected to appeal the jury's decision.
