Federal anti-bullying review must strengthen protections for students and school staff
11 June 2025
Federal anti-bullying review must strengthen protections for students and school staff
The federal government’s Anti-Bullying Rapid Review represents a vital step toward developing a comprehensive, community-wide approach to tackling bullying in schools.
As a deeply complex issue, bullying demands coordinated action across multiple levels, along with a clearer understanding of the most effective strategies for prevention, early intervention and wellbeing programs.
Bullying, violence, sexual harassment and emotional abuse are serious health and safety issues for school staff as well as students. Employers, policy makers and school communities must set the tone that such behaviour is not acceptable in any context.
The IEU, alongside other education organisations and key stakeholders, is actively participating in the review to establish a consistent national framework for addressing bullying and its causes.
Our union’s submission highlights the critical factors that must be addressed to drive meaningful and lasting change:
- Adequate school resourcing, specialist staffing, and sustainable working conditions.
- Genuine employee consultation and participatory planning processes.
- Targeted strategies to address technology-facilitated harassment and deepfake abuse.
- A stronger legal obligation on all school employers to model the values of tolerance and inclusion.
Teachers, school leaders, and support staff have a vital role to play in addressing bullying. However, real progress also requires a shared commitment from the entire community to foster a culture of safety and respect, both within our schools and across broader society.
IEU – represents 75,000 teachers, principals and support staff in faith based, community & independent schools, pre-schools, kindergartens and early childhood education centres and post-secondary centres across Australia.
