Australia Rolls out $77 Million for ‘Consent Education’ in Schools Nationwide

Senior students are seen in class at Melba Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 12, 2020. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The federal Labor government has announced a new wave of support for consent education for schools nationwide in a bid to tackle gender-based violence.

On July 24, the government revealed a $77.6 million (US$51.31 million) funding package to help states and territories deliver “evidenced-based, age‑appropriate and expert-developed respectful relationships education” in their local schools.

According to the government, the new funding program will promote “healthy interactions” between boys and girls.

It will also boost partnerships between schools and expert organisations, engagement with families, and access to professional development for teachers.

The federal government will allocate specific amounts of funding to each jurisdiction, and they, along with the non-government school sector, will need to decide how to invest the funding.

Sydney will receive the lion’s share of the funding, with $25.4 million to be allocated in five years. Melbourne will receive $18.3 million, Queensland $14.3 million, and Western Australia $8.9 million.

Meanwhile, South Australia will get $5.7 million, Tasmania $2 million, the Northern Territory $1.5 million, and the Australian Capital Territory $1 million.

The National Respectful Relationships Education Expert Working Group will guide the implementation of consent education activities in schools.

This spending package is part of Labor’s national plan to end violence against women and children.

Education Minister Jason Clare highlighted the need to combat gender-based violence in Australia.

“One in five women and one in 16 men in Australia have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15,” he said. “Sexual violence is a national shame.”

The minister also said educating young people about consent and respectful relationships was important.

“A range of approaches are needed, and there is a role to play in the classroom to make sure that young people develop healthy relationships,” he said.

“This investment is important in making sure we help our youngest Australians, in particular young boys and men, to have healthy, respectful relationships.”

So far, the government has committed $3.4 billion to improving women’s safety in the recent three federal budgets.

Prior to the new funding for schools, the government launched a national campaign in May to introduce the concept of consent to adults and young people.

Consent education became a mandatory curriculum in all Australian schools in 2023.

Under the curriculum, students from the first year of primary school to year ten are taught about concepts of consent that are “appropriate” to their ages.

Australian Education Minister Jason Clare speaks during the Universities Australia Conference dinner at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 22, 2023. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Concerns About Negative Impacts of Consent Education

While the government is promoting consent education as a solution to gender-based violence, some religious communities have raised concerns about its negative impacts on the development of children.

Wendy Francis, the national director for politics at the Australia Christian Lobby, previously told The Epoch Times that the education program could potentially “rob” children of their innocence.

“When we’re talking about sexual consent, we are talking about an adult concept,” she said.

“Children as young as kindergarten age are being expected to make decisions on their own life that traditionally parents have made or that they are very young to be expected to either consent or not consent to really important decisions.”

At the same time, the director raised the issue that the former Coalition government did not consult parents when it introduced the consent curriculum.

“The state doesn’t own our children,“ she said. “And they should not be assuming the position to dictate what’s taught from kindergarten age regarding gender and sexuality.”

Ms. Francis added that parents should decide how their children are taught about concepts surrounding consent education.

Nina Nguyen contributed to this article.