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Dear Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Education Minister Simon Birmingham,

We the co-signed urge you to implement as soon as possible a national anti-bullying, anti-violence
program in schools across Australia that targets bullying in all its forms.

We understand and accept that programs implemented in recent history, such as Safe Schools, have
become highly politicised and controversial. We wish not for controversy but for a program with a
goal that everyone can agree on: an end to bullying and domestic violence in Australia.

As ambitious a goal that might sound, we believe that it can be achieved by way of a national
program which aims to prevent violence and bullying not only in schools, but later on in a child's
adult life.

One in four Australian women has experienced physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
This is not a statistic to be proud of. LGBTI people have the highest rates of suicidality of any
population in Australia. In fact, gay teens are 14 times more likely to commit suicide in Australia.
Further research suggests that the majority of male-to-male bullying in schools is homophobic
(tinyurl.com/ln4tqj5), and that such bullies often become perpetrators of domestic violence later on
in their adult lives.

Because of this, some United States programs (tinyurl.com/n74q93n) are now combining anti-
bullying and anti-domestic violence teachings. Importantly, these programs teach tolerance and
respect of LGBTI people. We would expect nothing less from any similar program that is rolled out
in Australia. Such a program in Australia must include tolerance and mutual respect of LGBTI
people at the core of its teachings, as well as teaching students not to bully people based on their
religion, sexuality, race, gender, faith, disability, skin conditions, social standing or political
persuasions.

Make no mistake of our request: we do not seek a program that seeks approval of the way certain
members of our society live. We seek only mutual respect and tolerance.

The NSW government has abandoned Safe Schools, while the Tasmanian government has chosen to
roll out an anti-bullying program in its place that will cost $3 million over four years. Meanwhile,
the West Australian government was re-elected on a campaign that involved funding Safe Schools;
the Queensland government has said it has no plans to discontinue the Safe Schools program.

With the federal budget set to be handed down May 9, we urge you, Prime Minister, to allocate
federal government funding to a program such as the one outlined above.

While you might argue that this is not a federal matter, the fact is that a previous federal
government did allocate funding to a similar cause. And we believe you can do the same.

To summarise, we request the following:

The introduction of a nationally rolled out, federal government funded anti-bullying, anti-violence
program in public and private schools by the start of 2018 that includes tolerance and mutual
respect of LGBTI people at its core. It should also teach students to not bully classmates based on
their religion, race, gender, sexuality, faith, disability, skin conditions, social standing or political
persuasions.

The program's curriculum should consult education experts, paediatricians, psychologists and
criminologists before its rollout.
An advisory board of experts should be appointed by the Education Minister that consults on the
program and any teachers' feedback on a biannual basis. The board should independently be able to
alter the program if they choose fit with no interference from government. The board should be
required to consult with community groups, including those from the LGBTI community, before
making decisions that alter the programs teachings.

Such a program should aim to prevent all forms of bullying, including that which is based on
religion, race, gender, faith, sexuality, disability, skin conditions, social standing or political
persuasions.

$6m was allocated by Labor at the last election for a similar program. We would expect to see a
similar commitment from the federal government for the program outlined above.

In conclusion, Australia needs an anti-bullying, anti-violence program with a focus on LGBTI


bullying that isnt just another anti-bullying program. What Australia doesn't need is a program that
is tied up in politics and controversy.

If we don't act now, future suicides, self-harm, murders, and domestic violence will continue
unabated.

Now is the time to act, Prime Minister Turnbull.

We urge you to do so before further victims continue to suffer.

Sincerely,

Troye Sivan Mellet - Actor, singer, songwriter

Laurelle Mellet - Activist and Sivans mother

Missy Higgins - Singer, songwriter

Zo Badwi - Singer, songwriter

Harley Breen - Comedian

Emelia Rusciano - Comedian, writer, singer


Kent Smallzy Small - Broadcaster

Joel Creasey - Comedian

Tom Jay Williams - Singer, songwriter

Paul Mac - Musician

Tracey Spicer - Author of The Good Girl Stripped Bare

James Mathison - Broadcaster

Harry Cook - Actor

Evangeline - Artist

Jack Vidgen - Singer, songwriter

Guy Pearce - Actor, musician

Sullivan Stapleton - Actor, producer


Chris Ledlin - Director of Social Media, Southern Cross Austereo

Samuel Gaskin - Recording artist and entertainer

Nic Kelly - Radio broadcaster, content creator

Adam Wilkinson - Producer management, artist management, real estate/property development

Mark Pesce - Futurist, inventor, author, educator and broadcaster

Jack Colwell - Singer, songwriter

Dylan Rass - Singer, songwriter

Mitchell Coombs - YouTuber, media producer

Alright Hey (Matthew Hey) - YouTuber, social media influencer

Media contact:

Ben Grubb
+61 414 197 508
bengrubb@gmail.com

Footnotes

Homophobia and sexism are intrinsically linked to peer aggression and harassment, particularly by
boys (but also girls). Source: https://tinyurl.com/kgbowx8
Bullying and teasing by those in their early adolescence is mostly homophobic based and generally
focused on gender and sexuality. Source: https://tinyurl.com/m78zxvp

Homophobia in schools discourages students from studying as hard as they could, while
stigmatising boys that have platonic female friends. Source: https://tinyurl.com/n4nsnxa

Internalised homophobia can lead to violence. Source: https://tinyurl.com/kd4ljek

Report: LGBTI People Mental Health & Suicide. Source: https://tinyurl.com/hwwnc25

Evidence that misogyny and homophobia go hand in hand. Source: https://tinyurl.com/kpy9h7x

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