MELBOURNE — After spending $5 million in court costs, the Kennett government has finally admitted defeat and agreed to reopen Northlands Secondary College. The end of the battle came with a Supreme Court ruling that the Equal Opportunity Board (EOB) did have the power to reopen the school. Northlands was closed in 1992 along with 58 others including Richmond Secondary College, which was the scene of the infamous baton charge by police known as Bloody Monday.
While the government has agreed to reopen Northlands, Kennett has announced that the government is considering moves to reduce the powers of the EOB. This could involve excluding government policy decision from the board's jurisdiction.