news, act-politics

Deputy Opposition Leader Alistair Coe told the Christian lobby he has "real reservations" about elements of the safe schools program, and said a Liberal government would be "vigilant" in ensuring it was age appropriate. Mr Coe joined Labor minister Meegan Fitzharris at the Australian Christian Lobby's election forum on Tuesday night at the National Library of Australia. They were immediately questioned about the Safe Schools program, an anti-bullying support scheme for LGBTIQ students. ACT Labor pledged its support for Safe Schools in August, providing $100,000 in additional funding to help shield it from significant changes made by the federal government. Mr Coe was asked whether he was comfortable with The Gender Fairy, a picture book designed to help support children who were questioning their gender. "I personally have real reservations about that," Mr Coe said. "I wouldn't think that would be age appropriate. I think there is a difference between offering support and, in effect, telling students what they should or shouldn't be." The author of the book, Jo Hirst, has previously slammed the ACL for linking her book to the Safe Schools program, saying it was not part of the curriculum. One Safe Schools website promotes The Gender Fairy as a resource for school libraries. Mr Coe said the Liberals supported Safe Schools in its current form, but said a Liberal government would be "vigilant" to ensure the material was age appropriate. Ms Fitzharris was up-front in her disagreement with the ACL's views on the program. She said she had been through the material thoroughly, and said she was very comfortable that the program was age appropriate. "Certainly I don't think that it teaches children that their gender is a social construct, but it recognises that in some children's lives they are born with a gender that they themselves wish to change at an early age," she said. The Greens were not present at the forum. The candidates were also asked about new laws barring protesters from the area outside the ACT's abortion clinic. The laws were introduced to stop women being harassed by a small group who conduct regular prayer vigils outside the clinic. Ms Fitzharris said the laws struck the right balance between freedom of speech and protecting women who were accessing legal health services. "I am very comfortable if you come and pray in the Assembly or outside the Assembly, and direct your views to Legislative Assembly members," she said. "I'm less comfortable in a situation where it appears to be directed to the women themselves who are accessing those services." She said there was evidence that women were being shown confronting images as they walked in and out of the clinic. Mr Coe was asked whether the laws were an "affront to free speech". He said he had not seen any evidence of harassment. "Any form of harassment and bullying is unwarranted and uncalled for," he said. "However, I didn't see any evidence that there was harassment taking place by this silent prayer vigil, which to my understanding, mostly happened when procedures weren't being undertaken." The pair were asked whether they would ban pokies outright in the ACT, something both said they would not do. Both agreed that in an "ideal world", pokies would not exist.

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