Prevalence of physical violence in Tasmanian schools has dropped since 2011, national figures reveal.
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Data from the Principal Health and Wellbeing survey was published early last year, with the latest figures showing a sharp decline in the prevalence of physical violence in schools.
The 2017 figures, published in February 2018, show that in Tasmania, physical violence incidents had spiked from 2011 to 2013, with an increase from 27 per cent to 40 per cent.
However, in the past two years, the incidents have fallen from 40 per cent to 30 per cent. Despite the drop, physical violence incidents are more likely to be perpetrated by students or parents, according to the data.
The latest reported incident occurred at George Town on Monday, after a staff member of Port Dalrymple School was injured when she attempted to intervene in an altercation between two students.
The woman injured was a staff member however it hasn't been confirmed if it was principal or not. There is no public data available regarding incidents of assault or violence against teachers more generally.
Tasmania Police are investigating the incident and the woman was taken to the George Town Medical Centre but later released. The nature of her injuries is unknown.
The Principal Health and Wellbeing survey has run nationally every year since 2011 in response to growing concern about principals' occupational health, safety and wellbeing.
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Since the project began about 50 per cent of Australia's principals have taken part.
The 2017 report said the prevalence of physical violence showed there was "an urgent need to establish an independent authority to investigate three types of offensive behaviour consistently occurring: adult-adult bullying, threats of violence and actual violence.
"The authority should be independent of all stakeholder groups in schools and government," it said.
"The consequences of offensive behaviour in schools are likely to become costly for employers, through time lost to ill health, OH&S claims against employers’ responsibility for not providing a safe working environment and reduced functioning while at work as a result of the high levels of offensive behaviour in the workplace."
Support staff, including a senior psychologist, was on site at Port Dalrymple on Tuesday to give support to students and staff involved in the incident.
The Education Department praised the handling of the incident and Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said behaviour such as that should not be tolerated.
The state government is investing $70,000 per year for four years to ensuring principal wellbeing and also launched the child and student wellbeing strategy last year.
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