ANTI-BULLYING RAPID REVIEW OPEN FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS
Education Minister Jason Clare has announced an Anti-Bullying Rapid Review led by Dr Charlotte Keating and Dr Jo Robinson AM.
The Rapid Review website is www.education.gov.au/antibullying-rapid-review.
The Review will consult broadly with key stakeholders across metropolitan and regional Australia, including parents, teachers, students, parent groups, state education departments and the non-government sector.
The deadline is 20 June 2025 to lodge a submission with the Government.
Christian Schools groups, like Christian Schools Australia, will be making a formal submission.
We invite you, as an educator, parent, student or representative of a school, to make individual submissions, if you so wish.
The Christian and biblical position on being anti-bullying is clear.
Christian schools seeks to foster communities seeking to imitate Jesus’ ‘agape’ love, communities of compassion, communion and caring concern for each other (What does the Bible teach us about bullying? – ERLC).
If you wish to provide input to the Christian Schools Australia submission rather than writing an individual submission, suggestions can be sent to Dr Rachel Carling by close of business on 13 June via our contact form or by responding to one of our MyChristianSchool emails.
Bullying No Way: National Week of Action
The National Week of Action against Bullying and Violence (NWA) is a significant event where Australian school communities unite against bullying and violence.
This year, the NWA will be held starting on Monday, 11 August 2025. Registrations for the school resources will open in June 2025.
Christian schools across Australia have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to providing safe and caring learning environments that reflect Christ’s love and concern for His people.
We have a wonderful opportunity to reinforce the goodness of God as He draws everyone to Him.
Some verses that come to mind include:
Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Romans 12:5 ESV
So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV
If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.
John 1:12-13 ESV
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Ephesians 2:19 ESV
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.
We strongly encourage all schools to participate in the National Week of Action against Bullying and Violence.
If your school has previously participated in the NWA, you are not required to register again for 2025.
Starting in June, registered schools will receive the NWA school event toolkit to the email address of the nominated contact person.
If your school has not participated previously, please remember to sign up for the NWA in 2025 when registrations open in June.
We would love to see all Christian schools involved.
Make sure that you lock in the week commencing Monday 11 August 2025.
When you are posting on your social media channels about your events and activities we encourage you to highlight the role your faith plays in your approach to bullying.
The week also provides an opportunity to invite your Federal or State/Territory members of parliament to your school to participate in the activities you may have planned.
In doing so you can showcase the care and concern that Christian schools have for their students.