Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to speak again tonight about the Safe Schools Coalition. I mentioned in this place yesterday the research that shows the shocking statistics about young LGBTIQ Australians. More than 60 per cent have experienced verbal abuse, 18 per cent have reported physical abuse and    26 per cent have reported being victims of rumours, graffiti and cyberbullying, and 80 per cent of that abuse occurred in our schools. We know that young people who identify as LGBTIQ are twice as likely to experience anxiety or depression, and they are three times more likely to attempt suicide. I could continue with the statistics, but there really is no need. It is proven that young gay and gender diverse Australian children and teenagers are suffering, and it distresses me that some of these young people often see their only way out is by self-harm and suicide. As if being a teenager is not hard enough, for those who identify as gay or gender diverse it can be hell. We need to do something about that and not just add to the hurt and despair felt by some of our young people because of their sexuality.

The Safe Schools Coalition program is an initiative that was implemented to do that. Labor introduced the program to address serious issues of bullying, exclusion and suicide amongst our youth. Federally funded, the program is a national coalition of organisations and schools working together to create safe and inclusive school environments. By providing the toolkit for teachers to educate against homophobia, the program promotes acceptance and understanding and helps children and teens realise that they are not alone in the world. Involving government and private schools across the country and educating more than 400,000 children, the Safe Schools Coalition has a strong track record of building confidence amongst teachers and students. I note that only one school has withdrawn from the program as a result of parental request, and that leaves over 490 schools still in the program.

Knowing the history of the program and its benefits, I was a bit surprised to hear Senator Bob Day's tirade against it last week. Labelling the Safe Schools Coalition program 'a gay lifestyle promotion program', Senator Day set about actively and openly campaigning for the removal of the program from our schools. Ignoring the mental health and wellbeing of our young people, Senator Day, who declared the program 'controversial', says in his press release dated 15 February that the education program is, 'pushing gay lifestyles and gender confusion on innocent children'. What an utterly ridiculous, patronising and, importantly, unsubstantiated claim. Ludicrously, Senator Day continued his campaign by claiming on Adelaide morning radio last Wednesday that the Safe Schools Coalition program is akin to a recruitment campaign. Comparing the program to a 'join the army' type campaign Senator Day claimed the educational program was urging young people to 'join the LGBTI community you don't know what you're missing'. I could not believe my ears when I first heard those claims.

Having visited many schools throughout South Australia in my time as a senator, I know that schools and school communities need more support, not less support, to make school safe for all students. Having spent time with young people who have kept their sexuality to themselves in fear of persecution, I know programs like Safe Schools are a necessity. Rather than promote inclusion, Senator Day would prefer to continue to marginalise young people. He is going deliberately out of his way to make schools less inclusive, and he is deliberately trying to make life more difficult for young teens and children. After last week's outburst, I did not really expect Senator Day's campaign to gain too much traction. After all his offensive views only cater to a minority and do not reflect the views of the majority of Australians, who are tolerant and have been actively working to redress the wrongs that we have perpetrated against gay people in the past. His position got a small run in the media, and I assumed that might be the end of it. But, much to my exasperation, here I was on Monday night when I heard another of my fellow South Australians peddling even more outrageous, right-wing and homophobic comments about the Safe Schools Coalition. Senator Bernardi has once again sided with his mate, Senator Day. Never mind that young people that are vilified on a daily basis because of their sexuality, Senator Bernardi inflamed and exaggerated the situation as per usual and proclaimed that the program:

… promotes a radical political and social agenda and seeks to indoctrinate students to make them its advocates.

By making those unfounded claims yet again, Senator Bernardi brought to Bob Day's campaign what Bob Day could not, and that was national media attention. Known for his outrageous comments, the media always tune into what Senator Bernardi has to say about sex and people's sexuality, and Monday night's doozy was no different. Since then, his dinosaur politics have made the newspapers and media around the country—but, fortunately, not in a good way for Senator Bernardi, because Australians reacted against this ongoing homophobia.

We had National Party senator Barry O'Sullivan echoing the propaganda in this chamber again yesterday. It is appalling that this week we have had to see so many people trying to undermine the work that has been done by so many others to promote inclusion and safety in our schools.

But what completely flummoxed me this week was the reaction of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Formerly one of the more progressive Liberals, this week we saw him kowtow to the conservative views of his right-wing puppeteers. You have to wonder if his so-called investigation into the Safe Schools program is part of some dirty deal he has made to keep the prime ministership and keep the restless Abbott faction of his government under control. It says a lot about Mr Turnbull's priorities as Prime Minister that he launches an investigation into an $8 million school program whilst simultaneously ripping $30 billion out of the education sector as a whole. By doing that, he has bowed to the scare campaign led by Senators Bernardi, Day and others, and has put the views of extremists in his party ahead of the interests of vulnerable young Australians facing bullying at school.

Too many speeches this week have been littered with extremist views, and I have to say it has been vile. I cannot believe that so many people in this place feel that they have the right to commentate on and denigrate other people just because of their sexuality. I think Victorian Premier Dan Andrews summed it up best this week, when he said:

… let's be honest here: I don't think these extreme Liberals are actually offended by the structure of the program, or the teachers who lead it.

I just think they're offended by the kids who need it.

They don't like the fact that some young people might be different.

And I'm sick of it.

I'm sick of Liberal politicians telling our kids that there's something wrong with them—when there isn't.

I'm sick of Liberal politicians trying to push us all back, whenever we all take a few steps forward.

I note in closing that schools that participate in the Safe Schools program do so entirely voluntarily. The schools themselves choose exactly which material they want to present to students. There is absolutely no part of the Safe Schools program which is enforced or compulsory. With that, I acknowledge the work that has been done by my leader, Mr Bill Shorten, who this week went on the front foot to refute these appalling claims and, I think, has stated the Labor Party's position well. We support the Safe Schools Coalition's program. It is needed, it is necessary and we will fight to defend its existence into the future.