LNP cuts respectful relationship, health education for young Queenslanders
- Queensland Labor Opposition
- May 21
- 0 min read
The LNP has quietly torn up plans to provide Queensland children with vital relationship and health education, despite more than 90 per cent of Australian parents supporting such a program.
In an email provided by whistleblowers to Queensland Labor, stakeholders have been advised the Queensland Puberty Health Education project will no longer proceed after a “shift in government priorities”.
The $2.96 million pilot - stemming from the Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032 - would have seen students in upper primary school taught about respectful relationships, puberty and other sexual health topics throughout grades five and six.
It stems from high profile national discussions in recent years and follows a study commissioned by Australia’s leading independent research organisation on Women’s Safety that found early intervention in education settings is a crucial step to help end the cycle of gender-based violence.
A 2023 survey found 90 per cent of parents either agreed or strongly agreed schools should deliver relationships and sexuality education (RSE), while the 7th National Survey of Australian Secondary Students and Sexual Health that identified more than 95 per cent of young people believed RSE is an important part of the school curriculum.
The news flies in the face of assurances by David Crisafulli’s Treasurer David Janetzki that “funding will continue” after being pressed by Shadow Women Minister Shannon Fentiman in parliament earlier this month.
It’s the first program in the strategy to be scrapped, leading to concerns from families and Labor that more programs will face the chopping block, including termination of pregnancy services and endometriosis support.
Queensland Labor Leader Steven Miles today joined shadow ministers Shannon Fentiman and Mark Bailey as well as Queensland parents and children to express their frustrations at the news, and to call on David Crisafulli to reverse his government’s decision.
Quotes attributable to Queensland Labor Leader Steven Miles:
“Millions of women like Brittany Higgins, Chanel Contos and Grace Tame have spent years fighting for better health outcomes and education.
“Now is not the time to be cutting vital education on the importance of respectful relationships and a proper education about puberty and sexual health.
“Decades of research shows that when relationship and sexual education is delivered well, it improves outcomes – it breaks the cycle of gender-based violence.
“The women and girls of Queensland deserve better than this.
“Queenslanders in general deserve better than a government whose laundry list of broken promises grows by the day.”
Quotes attributable to Shadow Women Minister Shannon Fentiman:
“When the rest of the country is making progress on women’s health, David Crisafulli is caving to Jarrod Bleijie’s Christian Right and putting important reforms in the bin.
“Women across this state haven’t fought for decades for better health and education outcomes only for the LNP to quietly scrap something that nearly 100 per cent of students believe is important.
“Australians rejected the conservative, Trump-like politics of the LNP – maybe David Crisafulli might want to listen.”
Quotes attributable to Shadow Health Minister Mark Bailey:
“David Crisafulli told Queenslanders he wouldn’t cut health in this state. He lied.
“His Treasurer point blank said that funding would continue for the women and girls’ health strategy. He lied.
“Queenslanders have already gone through a litany of cuts under this LNP Government and are paying the price.
“Now is not the time to turn our back on young women and girls in this state.” ENDS |