Page 875 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 March 2016
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How can being so negative and divisive and cruel in any way be supportive of our children and young people? But if you go to the safe schools website, there are many positives. A Victorian principal said there is a lot of this. He said:
The Safe Schools Coalition has helped us teach our students how to better navigate the differences. …
Another one, from Tim Bavinton, is:
What both the classroom teachers and those in welfare roles say is they are feeling very much more confident because they have some good resources and good training now.
That is in reference the information that is provided to the schools that this issue around inclusivity for the LGBTI community is done with respect and regard.
Going back to those most negative comments, they are comments about our community, our neighbours, our sons and daughters. We on this side will not let that go without a challenge and a clear statement to all in this community that we support all, we will stand by all and we will particularly support the Safe Schools Coalition program.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Minister for Housing, Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Multicultural and Youth Affairs, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Women) (3.54): I also want to thank Mr Hinder for bringing this very important motion into the Assembly today for this conversation and to affirm the Chief Minister’s commitment that this government does not support any of the disgraceful and appalling comments that have been made by some members of the Liberal Party in the federal government. Yes, this is a national government-funded initiative, but it affects individuals and children who go to our schools here in the ACT and it affects every one of our communities within those schools.
This is more than just about stopping bullying in our schools; it is about supporting kids who are trying to work out their sexuality and, in some cases, work out how they could have been born a certain sexuality knowing that they are a different sexuality. I can only imagine what that would be like, but I would like to know that if it were my child or any children that I knew they would be able to get the support that they needed from an organisation like safe schools, who I know have been able to provide that support to young children who are going through an incredibly difficult time. If they had not been getting the support from safe schools, they would be another statistic of children who would be dying because they were not getting support and that they were being discriminated against in more ways than any of us could ever imagine.
Safe schools is more than just about stopping bullying in our schools; it is absolutely about supporting people. I think it is a shame that Chief Minister Barr should have to come in here and defend his sexuality time and time again. I do not think any of us should have to defend their sexuality. Certainly I have never had to as a straight person—“Hooley dooley, I’m straight!” It is outrageous that we should have to be
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