MPs who spoke to Fairfax Media said the professor ultimately concluded that Safe Schools was consistent with the goals of the national curriculum. Attacks on the Safe Schools program elicited protests in Melbourne last year. Credit:Penny Stephens But he made numerous recommendations about giving teachers more guidance for classroom exercises and the dissemination of website links. It is understood he recommended some materials, such as resources for students who are transitioning gender, should only be made available to students through counsellors. It is also understood there are recommendations about giving more information and opt-out options to parents. Liberal backbencher Ewen Jones, a supporter of Safe Schools, said the program would continue to be divisive in the Coalition party room.

"Those people who believe that it's a bad program weren't convinced by what the professor had to say," he told Fairfax Media. "Those people who believe that giving teachers the information they require to make their own judgments were happy with what the professor was saying." Coalition MP Ewen Jones is one of Parliament's most colourful characters. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Safe Schools program is a toolkit for teachers aimed at stamping out homophobia in schools and assisting students who are questioning their sexuality and gender.



Launched in Victoria in 2010, the program has received bipartisan funding and support until now, when it has become the target of conservative forces in the Parliament and in the media. The review was intended to be educational in nature; to query whether the program was consistent with the national curriculum and government policy. But immediately after Tuesday night's meeting, conservatives condemned the report as inadequate, too narrow and too hasty. "The general feeling was the inquiry wasn't thorough enough and that the terms of reference were too tight," one conservative MP said.

Others went further. One MP reportedly described the program as a "gateway drug" and Professor Louden's review as a "stitch up". And one MP told the ABC the review was a "fraud" and called on Education Minister Simon Birmingham to either "fix this or resign". No matter where we end up on this thing there will be people who will be very upset one way or the other Mr Jones described that response as "just rubbish". He said he was satisfied that the program matched the government's goals of tackling bullying and delegating decisions to principals. "These sorts of things, whilst controversial, back up our policy setting of making these decisions as local as possible," Mr Jones said. "We cannot possibly be saying that ... we should limit information to teachers and professionals. You've got to trust your principals. If they do it right then everyone wins.

"No matter where we end up on this thing there will be people who will be very upset one way or the other." Warren Entsch, one of the Coalition's leading LGBTI advocates, said: "The good professor didn't confirm some of the nonsense people have been saying about the program so now they are shooting the messenger. "Nothing would placate the usual suspects." Mr Entsch said Professor Louden dismissed as inaccurate concerns the program materials were sending children to pornographic content. "As the professor said, there are elements that can be moderated," he said.



"Some of the hysteria around this shows a clear lack of understanding about the issues some of our children face. This is not about teaching or coaching kids to be gay.

"There are schools where children need support and they need resources to help them. There is nothing in the program that is compulsory." A spokesman for Mr Birmingham has said the government is considering its response and will release the report. - with Matthew Knott Follow us on Twitter