The Prime Minister has called for an investigation in to the LGBTI student support program Safe Schools after mounting pressure from conservative government backbenchers and lobby groups.
The taxpayer-funded program provides educational resources to schools with a focus on LGBTI+ issues to encourage more inclusive education for all students.
Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi told the ABC today that he believes the program sees children “being bullied and intimidated into complying with a radical program.”
A long-time critic of Safe Schools, Senator Bernardi wants the Turnbull Government to cease funding the program.
“It’s not about gender, it’s not about sexuality,” he said.
“It makes everyone fall into line with a political agenda… Our schools should be places of learning, not indoctrination.”
Greens Senator slams Senator Bernardi’s ‘stale crusade’
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Greens LGBTI spokesperson Senator Robert Simms addresses conservative criticism of the Safe Schools Coalition, naming Senator Bernardi’s resistance to the program a ‘stale crusade.’
“Let me say that I find absolutely ridiculous the repeated suggestion from Senator Bernardi and other conservatives that somehow by talking about differences in sexual orientation and talking about differences in gender identity you are going to recruit children at school,” Senator Simms said.
Watch Senator Simms’ full Senate speech here.
Senator Simms told the Senate that Senator Bernardi needs to “stop pedalling that ridiculous line.”
“This program is not about trying to encourage any particular sexuality or gender identity; it is about recognising that – newsflash – some people are gay and some people are transgender and, despite Senator Bernardi’s efforts at social engineering and efforts to deny that reality exists within our schoolyard, there are gay and lesbian kids at school,” Senator Simms continues.
“We are queer are we are here.”
Prime Minister Turnbull has today asked Education Minister Simon Birmingham to conduct a review of the program.
This story will be updated as more information is revealed.
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