Latest news with #SarahCook
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Never to be silenced again: Sarah Cook comes out about her abuse in new book
IN her deeply personal book, survivor Sarah Cook talks first about the the Victorian era adage of "children ought to be seen, and not heard". It was that concept of how children should behave, and what their place in society was, which cast the first shadow, Ms Cook says in the preface to her book, Harvesting Silence. Ms Cook is in Newcastle tomorrow (Thursday, July 17) to launch her book, which is dedicated to the family of Andrew Nash. Mr Nash took his own life as a young teenager in 1974 after being abused by a Marist brother in Hamilton. She hopes particularly that the women, some of whom to this day remain silent about the abuse they have suffered, are listening and that they might be emboldened to speak up. Ms Cook said she was punished for speaking up to the nuns who then worked at Loreto Kirribilli, a private Catholic girls' school on Sydney's Lower North Shore. "I was taken into a room with one of the nuns and questioned about this brother, and I told the truth, and she didn't seem to believe me," Ms Cook said. "And then it was just never discussed ever again." For the next three-and-a-half years, she was treated like a deviant, Ms Cook said. "They were cruel, and they picked on me, and I was always in trouble until they eventually expelled me." It was 40 years later that Ms Cook spoke for the first time about her experiences at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, announced in 2014. Her case was later investigated by police, and there is now a warrant out for the arrest of the Marist brother allegedly responsible for her abuse as a child between the ages of 8 and 11. She has also received a written and verbal apology from the Marist brothers, as well as a payout. They tried to silence her again at that point, the now 61-year-old says. "I was not to disclose any information about my legal case and the amount that I received," she said. This time around, rather than staying quiet, she finished writing and has now published her book, which she hopes will inspire other women to break the cycle of shame attached to maintaining silence. "Those who have been wronged deserve justice," the book's preface says. "The historical failings of institutions that were meant to protect children-and the present-day practices of the Australian legal system-are laid bare in this book to raise awareness for generations to come." The book launch is being hosted by the Clergy Abused Network at the Soul Hub from 3.30pm. IN her deeply personal book, survivor Sarah Cook talks first about the the Victorian era adage of "children ought to be seen, and not heard". It was that concept of how children should behave, and what their place in society was, which cast the first shadow, Ms Cook says in the preface to her book, Harvesting Silence. Ms Cook is in Newcastle tomorrow (Thursday, July 17) to launch her book, which is dedicated to the family of Andrew Nash. Mr Nash took his own life as a young teenager in 1974 after being abused by a Marist brother in Hamilton. She hopes particularly that the women, some of whom to this day remain silent about the abuse they have suffered, are listening and that they might be emboldened to speak up. Ms Cook said she was punished for speaking up to the nuns who then worked at Loreto Kirribilli, a private Catholic girls' school on Sydney's Lower North Shore. "I was taken into a room with one of the nuns and questioned about this brother, and I told the truth, and she didn't seem to believe me," Ms Cook said. "And then it was just never discussed ever again." For the next three-and-a-half years, she was treated like a deviant, Ms Cook said. "They were cruel, and they picked on me, and I was always in trouble until they eventually expelled me." It was 40 years later that Ms Cook spoke for the first time about her experiences at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, announced in 2014. Her case was later investigated by police, and there is now a warrant out for the arrest of the Marist brother allegedly responsible for her abuse as a child between the ages of 8 and 11. She has also received a written and verbal apology from the Marist brothers, as well as a payout. They tried to silence her again at that point, the now 61-year-old says. "I was not to disclose any information about my legal case and the amount that I received," she said. This time around, rather than staying quiet, she finished writing and has now published her book, which she hopes will inspire other women to break the cycle of shame attached to maintaining silence. "Those who have been wronged deserve justice," the book's preface says. "The historical failings of institutions that were meant to protect children-and the present-day practices of the Australian legal system-are laid bare in this book to raise awareness for generations to come." The book launch is being hosted by the Clergy Abused Network at the Soul Hub from 3.30pm. IN her deeply personal book, survivor Sarah Cook talks first about the the Victorian era adage of "children ought to be seen, and not heard". It was that concept of how children should behave, and what their place in society was, which cast the first shadow, Ms Cook says in the preface to her book, Harvesting Silence. Ms Cook is in Newcastle tomorrow (Thursday, July 17) to launch her book, which is dedicated to the family of Andrew Nash. Mr Nash took his own life as a young teenager in 1974 after being abused by a Marist brother in Hamilton. She hopes particularly that the women, some of whom to this day remain silent about the abuse they have suffered, are listening and that they might be emboldened to speak up. Ms Cook said she was punished for speaking up to the nuns who then worked at Loreto Kirribilli, a private Catholic girls' school on Sydney's Lower North Shore. "I was taken into a room with one of the nuns and questioned about this brother, and I told the truth, and she didn't seem to believe me," Ms Cook said. "And then it was just never discussed ever again." For the next three-and-a-half years, she was treated like a deviant, Ms Cook said. "They were cruel, and they picked on me, and I was always in trouble until they eventually expelled me." It was 40 years later that Ms Cook spoke for the first time about her experiences at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, announced in 2014. Her case was later investigated by police, and there is now a warrant out for the arrest of the Marist brother allegedly responsible for her abuse as a child between the ages of 8 and 11. She has also received a written and verbal apology from the Marist brothers, as well as a payout. They tried to silence her again at that point, the now 61-year-old says. "I was not to disclose any information about my legal case and the amount that I received," she said. This time around, rather than staying quiet, she finished writing and has now published her book, which she hopes will inspire other women to break the cycle of shame attached to maintaining silence. "Those who have been wronged deserve justice," the book's preface says. "The historical failings of institutions that were meant to protect children-and the present-day practices of the Australian legal system-are laid bare in this book to raise awareness for generations to come." The book launch is being hosted by the Clergy Abused Network at the Soul Hub from 3.30pm. IN her deeply personal book, survivor Sarah Cook talks first about the the Victorian era adage of "children ought to be seen, and not heard". It was that concept of how children should behave, and what their place in society was, which cast the first shadow, Ms Cook says in the preface to her book, Harvesting Silence. Ms Cook is in Newcastle tomorrow (Thursday, July 17) to launch her book, which is dedicated to the family of Andrew Nash. Mr Nash took his own life as a young teenager in 1974 after being abused by a Marist brother in Hamilton. She hopes particularly that the women, some of whom to this day remain silent about the abuse they have suffered, are listening and that they might be emboldened to speak up. Ms Cook said she was punished for speaking up to the nuns who then worked at Loreto Kirribilli, a private Catholic girls' school on Sydney's Lower North Shore. "I was taken into a room with one of the nuns and questioned about this brother, and I told the truth, and she didn't seem to believe me," Ms Cook said. "And then it was just never discussed ever again." For the next three-and-a-half years, she was treated like a deviant, Ms Cook said. "They were cruel, and they picked on me, and I was always in trouble until they eventually expelled me." It was 40 years later that Ms Cook spoke for the first time about her experiences at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, announced in 2014. Her case was later investigated by police, and there is now a warrant out for the arrest of the Marist brother allegedly responsible for her abuse as a child between the ages of 8 and 11. She has also received a written and verbal apology from the Marist brothers, as well as a payout. They tried to silence her again at that point, the now 61-year-old says. "I was not to disclose any information about my legal case and the amount that I received," she said. This time around, rather than staying quiet, she finished writing and has now published her book, which she hopes will inspire other women to break the cycle of shame attached to maintaining silence. "Those who have been wronged deserve justice," the book's preface says. "The historical failings of institutions that were meant to protect children-and the present-day practices of the Australian legal system-are laid bare in this book to raise awareness for generations to come." The book launch is being hosted by the Clergy Abused Network at the Soul Hub from 3.30pm.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Rocky waters ahead for Brisbane 2032's Olympic rowing plan
'...The main issue for rowing is fairness, so obviously if there's stream, typically the deeper or the middle section of the river is going to flow faster than the sides of it,' Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook told me in March. 'Because a rowing course is eight to 10 lanes wide, it would make the middle lanes faster than the outside lanes, which is why it can't be used for an Olympic regatta or a Paralympic regatta, because it would be unfair for the competitors.' The minister responsible for Olympic infrastructure, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, repeated the clearly workshopped 'Pierre from Paris' line at last week's Queensland Media Club lunch, where the new intergovernmental funding agreement was announced. Dismissing rowing's concerns, Bleijie pointed to the 2028 Olympic rowing venue as a justification for Rockhampton's controversial candidature. 'In LA, the rowing facility does not meet the International Olympic Committee requirements – it's too short,' he said. 'But you know what they did? They just said, for LA it'll be OK and they signed off on it. So they do bend the rules for other venues.' For Rowing Australia life member and historian Andrew Guerin, Los Angeles was a poor comparison to make. 'The 2028 LA course is probably the worst ever used as it is shorter than normal and subject to tidal streams. All racing will have to held on the turn of high tide to minimise the impacts,' he said. 'Rocky is one step worse combining, as I understand, both stream and tide. I've got no idea how that can be managed.' Guerin said the Rocky course had little by way tide and stream mitigation, which made it difficult to control and create a fair course. And it's also prone to flooding. At the Queensland Media Club event on Thursday, Bleijie described the Fitzroy River surface as a 'mirror'. But, last August, the planned State School Championships in Rockhampton had to be relocated due to heavy rain and flash flooding. The 2032 Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 – about the same time of year. It's a risky choice. As Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said during a May visit to Brisbane, the decision on whether to host rowing on the Fitzroy will ultimately not be the government's to make, but World Rowing. 'No one else than the federation can say 'field of play ready',' he said. While political hypocrisy is about as common as gambling in a casino, it's always good to call out. Before the election, Crisafulli and his LNP colleagues repeatedly promised to take the politics out of planning and listen to the experts. So what did the people with expertise say about the Fitzroy River? 'This option was not progressed on the basis of insufficient space for field of play and warm-up, inadequate onshore space and access road upgrade requirements, as well as limited accommodation options for athletes and officials,' the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority determined in its 100-day review. The Crisafulli government ignored GIICA, running roughshod over decision-making process and overseeing the most nakedly political Games decision since Brisbane won hosting rights in 2021. The LNP claimed the electorate of Rockhampton at last year's state election, and holds it with a margin of less than 2 per cent. If you don't think that played a role in the Crisafulli government's decision, then I'd be happy to sell you the Fitzroy Bridge. Crisafulli quite rightly criticised the former Labor government's Olympic mismanagement, from Annastacia Palaszczuk's ill-informed captain's call to rebuild the Gabba to Steven Miles' embarrassing QSAC gambit. But by repeating the same mistakes, albeit on a far less consequential scale, the LNP has demonstrated it's just as willing to play politics with the Olympic Games as its predecessors.
The Age
06-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Rocky waters ahead for Brisbane 2032's Olympic rowing plan
'...The main issue for rowing is fairness, so obviously if there's stream, typically the deeper or the middle section of the river is going to flow faster than the sides of it,' Rowing Australia chief executive Sarah Cook told me in March. 'Because a rowing course is eight to 10 lanes wide, it would make the middle lanes faster than the outside lanes, which is why it can't be used for an Olympic regatta or a Paralympic regatta, because it would be unfair for the competitors.' The minister responsible for Olympic infrastructure, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie, repeated the clearly workshopped 'Pierre from Paris' line at last week's Queensland Media Club lunch, where the new intergovernmental funding agreement was announced. Dismissing rowing's concerns, Bleijie pointed to the 2028 Olympic rowing venue as a justification for Rockhampton's controversial candidature. 'In LA, the rowing facility does not meet the International Olympic Committee requirements – it's too short,' he said. 'But you know what they did? They just said, for LA it'll be OK and they signed off on it. So they do bend the rules for other venues.' For Rowing Australia life member and historian Andrew Guerin, Los Angeles was a poor comparison to make. 'The 2028 LA course is probably the worst ever used as it is shorter than normal and subject to tidal streams. All racing will have to held on the turn of high tide to minimise the impacts,' he said. 'Rocky is one step worse combining, as I understand, both stream and tide. I've got no idea how that can be managed.' Guerin said the Rocky course had little by way tide and stream mitigation, which made it difficult to control and create a fair course. And it's also prone to flooding. At the Queensland Media Club event on Thursday, Bleijie described the Fitzroy River surface as a 'mirror'. But, last August, the planned State School Championships in Rockhampton had to be relocated due to heavy rain and flash flooding. The 2032 Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 – about the same time of year. It's a risky choice. As Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said during a May visit to Brisbane, the decision on whether to host rowing on the Fitzroy will ultimately not be the government's to make, but World Rowing. 'No one else than the federation can say 'field of play ready',' he said. While political hypocrisy is about as common as gambling in a casino, it's always good to call out. Before the election, Crisafulli and his LNP colleagues repeatedly promised to take the politics out of planning and listen to the experts. So what did the people with expertise say about the Fitzroy River? 'This option was not progressed on the basis of insufficient space for field of play and warm-up, inadequate onshore space and access road upgrade requirements, as well as limited accommodation options for athletes and officials,' the Games Independent Infrastructure and Co-ordination Authority determined in its 100-day review. The Crisafulli government ignored GIICA, running roughshod over decision-making process and overseeing the most nakedly political Games decision since Brisbane won hosting rights in 2021. The LNP claimed the electorate of Rockhampton at last year's state election, and holds it with a margin of less than 2 per cent. If you don't think that played a role in the Crisafulli government's decision, then I'd be happy to sell you the Fitzroy Bridge. Crisafulli quite rightly criticised the former Labor government's Olympic mismanagement, from Annastacia Palaszczuk's ill-informed captain's call to rebuild the Gabba to Steven Miles' embarrassing QSAC gambit. But by repeating the same mistakes, albeit on a far less consequential scale, the LNP has demonstrated it's just as willing to play politics with the Olympic Games as its predecessors.
CBC
03-07-2025
- Science
- CBC
Eelgrass meadows: the coastal lifeline at risk
Join Rachael Tancock as she dives beneath the waves to explore the hidden world of eelgrass, an underwater flowering plant that forms lush meadows along the B.C. coast. In this episode, Rachael meets eelgrass expert Sarah Cook, who is working to restore these vital habitats and shares why eelgrass is so important for marine life, coastal protection, and carbon storage. With beautiful underwater footage and expert insights, this video will change the way you see the seafloor and highlight the big impact of a small, swaying plant. 'Planting Curiosity' is a CBC Creator Network series that dives into the wonderful and wild world of plants.
