Bunbury PFLAG mum, Hazel Wood, is calling on the Western Australian government to reinstate the Inclusive Education WA strategy after former Premier Mark McGowan stopped funding in 2020.
Wood said the she was concerned by the increasing anti-LGBTIQA+ commentary coming out of right-wing candidates for the next election.
“I fear the March 2025 poll will be the most homophobic and transphobic in the state’s history.
“I’m very concerned about the wellbeing of young LGBTIQA+ people over the next year, as their very existence becomes a political debate.
“It’s going to be much worse than the postal plebiscite in 2016, with One Nation and some Liberals already targeting trans kids as part of their campaign rhetoric,” Wood said.
The Bunbury based mother said Inclusive Education WA addressed bullying of LGBTIQA+ students by providing teachers with the helpful resources and training.
Originally called Safe Schools, the program was funded by the commonwealth, but in latter years became state-funded after former Prime Minister Scott Morrison dumped federal funding under pressure from religious groups.
In 2018, the McGowan Government rebranded the program as ‘Inclusive Education WA’ but after a few years the program was wound up.
“I think it’s outrageous that the Liberal Government in Tasmania funds its own LGBTIQA+ Inclusive Schools program, but the Labor Government of Western Australia won’t do the same,” Wood said.
She has now written to her local MP, the Education Minister and the Premier calling on them to bring back the program.
Rights group Just.Equal Australia has backed the call, saying the Cook Government should reintroduce the program in the wake of its $3.3 billion budget surplus announced this week.
WA spokesperson, Brian Greig said all it needed to get going again “was a mere $1.3 million.”
“Since October 2020, the program was collapsed into an online module only available by request. This is nowhere near adequate and undervalues the need for it.
“It lacks the interpersonal connections and face-to-face advocacy the program can deliver when done properly,” Greig said.
Before it was axed, Inclusive Schools WA had delivered professional development sessions to 3,014 school staff, distributed 15,259 resources and recorded a 95 per cent success rating from feedback on presentations.
Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT, Queensland and the Northern Territory currently fund Inclusive Education programs for LGBTIQA+ awareness and understanding.
