MPS angry over bullying rates

Western Victorian Coalition parliamentarians have accused the State Government of failing to protect regional students from bullying.

Member for Ripon Louise Staley and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy were unified in their concerns about the level of school bullying in their electorates.

Their response came after the release of a Victorian Education Department 2018 Attitudes To School report that included bullying data.

Both said they were alarmed that areas of western Victoria had some of the highest percentage rates of bullying in the state and that rural students were more likely to experience bullying than their metropolitan counterparts.

Ms Staley pin-pointed Ararat students from years seven to nine level, where she said 35 percent, the highest in the state, had reported they had been bullied.

She added that almost 40 percent of grade five and six pupils in Loddon Shire had experienced bullying, followed by almost 30 percent in Central Goldfields.

She attributed the high bullying rates in her electorate to a failure by the State Government to invest in country anti-bullying programs.

“These results are completely unacceptable,” she said.

“School should be a safe place for all students, it is absolutely disgraceful that Ripon students are not safe from bullying.”

Ms Kealy said the figures showed government schools in country Victoria were hotbeds for bullying.

She said figures from Northern Grampians and Southern Grampians shires were also far from acceptable, and she was shocked.

“Along with the emotional effects, studies have shown that students targeted by bullying are left behind when it comes to learning outcomes,” she said.

“These bullying rates are completely unacceptable. Daniel Andrews said he would make Victoria the ‘Education State’ but these bullying rates show Labor is failing to ensure students in Lowan feel safe at school.”

Ms Kealy said the president of a school council had contacted her with concerns about the state of student support services for schools in a West Grampians Network.

“I have been advised there is currently no full-time team leader for the network and the Horsham office has not been fully staffed for over two years, resulting in students in need of support not having their needs met,” she said.

“School should be a safe place for all students and it is critical that students receive the support they need; these results show the government has dropped the ball. Lowan students have a right to go to school and feel safe.”

Ms Staley said Labor had been in government for 16 of the past 20 years.

“And what have they done to specifically address bullying in country government schools? Nothing,” she said.

“Labor’s city-centric Minister for Education, James Merlino, needs a geography lesson – there are schools and students that live outside the tram zone and these students matter.

“Minister Merlino needs to do more than wave pieces of policy paper around and say he is working on it – he’s not – and this report shows that. Bullying of any kind is totally unacceptable, the government, schools and community all need to work together to address it.”