Rodney Croome says a new anti-bullying initiative should focus on professional development for teachers after the state government announced it would not fund Safe Schools.
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On Tuesday, Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the government had no plans to take over the funding of the federal program given the investment into its own anti-bullying initiatives.
Federal funding for the program is set to run out this year, but state governments across Australia have each taken a different stance on whether they would continue to fund the program from their own budgets.
Mr Rockliff said the Tasmanian government had invested $3 million over four years for the Combatting Bullying Budget Initiative.
“It is up to each Tasmanian school to make their own decisions about the programs used in their school, and government schools are encouraged to use the Department of Education’s own program,” Mr Rockliff said.
“The Tasmanian government is committed to providing a safe and inclusive school environment to support student learning and well-being.”
In Tasmania, 22 government schools are registered as members of the Safe Schools Coalition Australia.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson Mr Croome said he welcomed the commitment to an anti-bullying framework which addressed the issues facing LGBTI students.
“Tasmania has a proud history of addressing bullying and prejudice in schools, including against LGBTI students,” Mr Croome said.
“The latest program should focus on professional development for teachers and principals to ensure they have the skills and confidence they need to make a positive difference, as well as independent evaluation to ensure the program is working.”
But Australian Christian Lobby state director Mark Brown said he was concerned the “same contested gender theory” would continue under a different name.
Mr Brown said he was worried groups with a “purely anti-bullying platform” may miss out on being involved in a new program.
“Why is there a stipulation in the government guidelines for the new program to focus on gender and sexuality when research shows that LGBT students are not the main cohort experiencing bullying in schools,” Mr Brown said.
The controversial Safe Schools program was launched in 2014 and provides resources aimed at creating a more inclusive school environment for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students.
Tasmania will join New South Wales in scrapping funding, but Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory have committed funds.
