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Exclusive school linked to bomb threats

Threatening hoax calls to numerous Victorian schools have been linked to a selective school in Melbourne’s southeast.

Almost 20 schools were evacuated or placed into lockdown on Tuesday after receiving calls telling them a bomb was on the premises or a shooting would occur.

Education Minister James Merlino confirmed police were investigating whether the calls originated from Nossal High School and whether its telecommunications systems had been hacked.

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“It’s certainly a line of inquiry for Victoria Police,” he told ABC 774 on Wednesday.

Principal Roger Page said the select entry school, located in Berwick, would co-operate with police.

“We have looked into it as far as we can and we will of course fully co-operate with police,” Mr Page said on Wednesday.

So far all calls appear to be hoaxes, but Premier Daniel Andrews says every call was being treated seriously.

Clearly frustrated by the disruption the calls were causing, Mr Andrews told 3AW he hoped that anyone “silly enough to do this” would face the full force of the law when caught.

On Tuesday Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said because the calls were automated it was difficult to determine whether an individual or group was behind them.

It follows serious threats made on Tuesday to schools in Tasmania, Queensland, NSW and ACT, and across the country since Friday.

Tasmania Police say the threats appear to come from overseas and there is no credible evidence they could be carried out.

AAP

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