Safe Schools: Education Minister Simon Birmingham says students struggling with sexual identity need support

The ABC’s Brigid Andersen reports (1.3.16) on federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, declaring he agreed with the objectives of the Safe Schools program in supporting LGBTI school students. This comes as former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, added his voice to calls from the right of politics for the program to be axed.

‘Education Minister Simon Birmingham says there should be school support for students struggling with sexual identity, despite announcing a review into the controversial Safe Schools program.

‘The taxpayer-funded program aimed at helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or intersex (LGBTI) school students has been labelled “radical” and likened to child grooming by paedophiles by some Coalition MPs.

‘But Senator Birmingham told Lateline he thought the objectives of the program were sound.

‘”I’ve been pretty clear for some time now that I think the objectives of the program are good, sound objectives,” he said.

‘… Former prime minister Tony Abbott is the latest politician to criticise the program, calling for its funding to be axed.

‘”It’s not an anti-bullying program, it’s a social engineering program,” he said.’

The TJRyan Foundation does not guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information or material available on this website. The TJRyan Foundation reserves the right to change information or material on this website at any time without notice. Links from this site to external, non-TJRyan Foundation websites should not be construed as implying any relationship with and/or endorsement of the external site or its content by the TJR Foundation, nor any commercial relationship with the owners of any external site. Should any TJRyan research project be funded by an individual or organisation the source of funding will be stated beside the research report. In all other cases contributions are provided on a pro bono basis.
Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Get notified about new articles

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.