BASS Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic says he supports changes to the Safe Schools program, which he says remove unsuitable materials and activities and empower parents.
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Mr Nikolic said he was at a pre-arranged electoral commitment on Wednesday afternoon and did not address protesters outside his electoral office, but said “bullying in any form is unacceptable”.
He said there had been “good changes” to the program including the removal of “inappropriate resources, third party branding, political advocacy, the requirement to limit distribution of some materials, and ensuring that parents give their informed consent for student participation”.
“I believe the revised Safe Schools Program, with other school and community support programs, can make a difference to at-risk students and has my support,” Mr Nikolic said.
Launceston Supports Safe Schools organiser Claire Johnston said there were Bass parents at the protest who supported the program, and that changes to Safe Schools could put children at risk.
“Andrew Nikolic and other conservative MPs have tried really hard to shift the focus of this debate away from LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex] youth to parents, which is problematic for a number of reasons.
“Research tells us that LGBTI youth experience transphobia and homophobia not just at school but in the home, and they need to be able to go to school knowing it is a safe space for them, without having to come out to their parents,” Ms Johnston said.
Bass Greens candidate Terrill Riley-Gibson said there was no evidence that the program didn’t work.
“It has been operating in 500 schools, it works, so why change it?
“We have such a high degree of youth suicide, especially amongst transgender kids and queer kids.”
Mr Nikolic said he was personally briefed on a review of the program undertaken by University of Western Australia Emeritus Professor of Education Bill Louden that found concerns to be addressed.
A 2014 report from the Australian Human Rights Commision found 61 per cent of LGBTI-identifying youth in Australia would experience homophobic abuse and 18 per cent would experience physical homophobic abuse.
Eighty per cent of that bullying occurred within schools, according to the report.
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