The Federal Government has announced a $10 million plan to combat bullying and cyberbullying in schools, introducing strict new national standards that will require schools to act on bullying complaints within 48 hours.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the reforms are part of the Anti-Bullying Rapid Review, launched in February, which assessed how schools respond to bullying and identified the urgent need for stronger prevention measures.
The review followed alarming data from the eSafety Commissioner showing that 53 per cent of young Australians have experienced cyberbullying, while research from Bullying No Way revealed that one in four students from Year 4 to Year 9 are bullied every few weeks or more often.
“The message from parents was clear — they want quicker action. And teachers have said they need better tools and training to deal with it,” Mr Clare said. “We’re investing $5 million to equip teachers with practical resources and another $5 million for an awareness campaign to support parents, students and the community.”
The reforms will also establish an online national hub where schools can access proven anti-bullying programs and share best practices. “There are already some great programs out there,” Mr Clare noted. “We want schools to be able to go to one place to get the best resources available.”
Under the new standards, schools will have 48 hours to respond to any reported bullying incident — involving direct engagement with both the victim’s and the perpetrator’s families. “We need to nip this in the bud early,” Clare said. “If you act quickly, you stop the harm from repeating.”
Consequences for bullying will range from counselling and mediation to suspension or expulsion in severe cases. The review received more than 1,700 submissions from parents, students and educators, with many stressing that schools had been too slow to act in the past.
The government’s crackdown also aligns with its upcoming ban on social media for under-16s, due to take effect on December 10, which authorities expect will significantly reduce online abuse among children.
“Our goal is simple,” Mr Clare said. “Every child deserves to feel safe at school — in the classroom, in the playground and online.”
