HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, CANBERRA 

THURSDAY, 17 MARCH 2016

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Thank you, Mr Speaker. 

Growing up as a teenager is never easy. Kids can be very cruel to their peers. 

For young Australians who are gay, it's even tougher – with bullying and worse a daily reality. 

Every child in Australia has the right to be safe at school. 

Safe Schools is an anti-bullying program. 

It is a voluntary program – schools choose to opt-in 

·       533 schools have freely chosen to opt in.

·       32 schools have signed up since the Prime Minister announced his review – more than one a day. 

So when it comes to the welfare of our children, if I have to choose between: the teachers, the principals and the school counsellors of Australia, or the rabid ideologues of the Liberal-National parties - I will choose Australian teachers and schools any day. 

Mr Turnbull has a very simple choice here. 

Stand with the great majority of Australians – or a small right-wing fringe. 

Today we will see how scared he is of his Liberal party. 

We know that he’s scared – it’s just a matter of how scared. 

Mr Turnbull is learning a very old lesson right now. 

When you give in to a bully, they come back wanting more. 

When you give in to the bullies of the extreme right – they will keep coming back wanting more. 

It’s time for Mr Turnbull to stand up for vulnerable young teenagers. 

Mr Turnbull, stop following your party, start leading it.

ENDS