Update on response to bullying young Queenslanders

Published Monday, 29 January, 2018 at 03:02 PM

JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for Education and Minister for Industrial Relations
The Honourable Grace Grace

Minister for Police and Minister for Corrective Services
The Honourable Mark Ryan

Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
The Honourable Di Farmer

  • Cabinet approves new measures to boost anti-bullying efforts
  • Stakeholder roundtable meets for input for national plan
  • Bullying on the agenda for COAG meeting on February 9

The Queensland Government has approved new measures to tackle bullying and cyberbullying and their devastating effects on young lives in Queensland, ahead of a stakeholder roundtable meeting today and confirmation bullying will be on the agenda for Australian government leaders next month.

Addressing a stakeholder roundtable, the Premier committed the Government to:

- establishing a Queensland Anti-Bullying Taskforce, which will inform the development of a new anti-bullying framework for Queensland;

- offer an urgent allocation of $60,000 funding to yourtown, which operates the Kids Helpline and Parentline. The Government currently provides more than $1 million for these services; and

- launch a public awareness campaign informing parents and children of anti-bullying initiatives underway across the State with activities to coincide with the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence on 16 March.

The Premier said she wanted the stakeholder roundtable to help inform the Government’s preparation of a submission to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra on 9 February. The Federal Government has now confirmed bullying will be on the agenda for the meeting.

The Premier said Cabinet was also briefed on the establishment of a new dedicated Youth Advisory Council and a state-wide survey of school children, between March and June, to collect their stories and experiences of cyberbullying The Queensland Families and Child Commission (QFCC) will establish the Council through the work of a core group of six youth champions and its focus will be on cyberbullying, youth empowerment, out of home care, mental health, youth suicide and disability. QFCC will conduct the survey and lead Queensland’s response to Safer Internet Day on 6 February.

“To ensure the safety, health and happiness of every Queensland child, the Government is rededicating itself to leading the anti-bullying agenda in Australia, and working with children, parents, teachers and the community to address this serious, damaging, and at times deadly, issue,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Today’s roundtable with Queensland stakeholders and Ministers and Members of Parliament, two of whom are former school principals, was an important first step, allowing us to lay critical groundwork on this very complex problem and identify possible solutions.”

The roundtable was briefed by yourtown Chief Executive Officer Tracy Adams and leading adolescent and child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

“Parents and children need our help. It’s not a problem isolated to Queensland or indeed Australia. I am grateful for the Prime Minister’s support to have it on the COAG agenda. We need to work together.”

Young people needing support can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

Parents and carers can call Parentline on 1300 30 1300.

 

Media contact: Kirby Anderson (Premier's office) 0417 263 791