Abbott says he spoke out against ‘terrible program’ when he became aware of it, but colleagues say the then prime minister defended it in party room

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Colleagues of Tony Abbott have cast doubt on his claim that the Safe Schools anti-bullying program was only rolled out under his government because he was unaware of it.

Guardian Australia understands that Abbott defended the program in a party room meeting in 2014 and several attempts to have its funding axed by then parliamentary secretary for education, Scott Ryan, were rebuffed.

On Sunday the New South Wales government announced it would not fund the continuation of the program when its funding expires this year. The program was criticised by conservatives who rejected its inclusion of optional teaching material to raise awareness of gender fluidity and diverse sexuality.

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Abbott welcomed the news, labelling Safe Schools “social engineering”, although the program was launched in June 2014 under his government.

On Monday, Abbott elaborated on his government’s involvement in what he called a “terrible, terrible program”.

“It was initiated by the Gillard government. I regret to say it got rolling under my government,” he told 2GB Radio.

“Lots of things happen down in the bowels of the bureaucracy that the people at the top of the system aren’t aware of.

“But as soon as we were aware of [it] I spoke out against it, and to Malcolm Turnbull’s credit some action was taken against it,” he said, referring to reforms requiring parental consent to take part in the program.

“It’s a very good thing that the NSW government is now dropping this from schools.”

On Monday a senior Liberal source said that Abbott “knew all about” the program, and that the former prime minister had even defended it when senator Barry O’Sullivan criticised it in the party room in 2014.

Guardian Australia understands from another Liberal source that Ryan made several attempts to have its funding cancelled but was rebuffed.

Ryan was never a supporter of the program, believing a more general anti-bullying program would have been more appropriate.

When he launched Safe Schools in June 2014 on behalf of the Abbott government, Ryan acknowledged that bullying had “some unique aspects” including that issues that were once suppressed, like sexuality, “pose challenges that were rarely contemplated until recently”.

Ryan said the program was “focused on issues of gender and sexuality” and although he recognised these as “unique challenges” he added he was “not primarily motivated by any alleged reason that bullying occurs”.

“While individuals all face different challenges, and social attitudes evolve at different paces, I cannot help but think that the path to ending this type of behaviour is through simply recognising the dignity of each person as an individual and the validity of their choices.”

The Victorian government has already announced it will continue to fund Safe Schools when its funding expires.

Jason Ball, who was Safe Schools’ first ambassador before he ran for the Greens in the 2016 election, said the program had bipartisan support in 2014 when it was launched by Ryan and Labor’s Penny Wong.

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He said the NSW government’s cancellation of the program was “very disappointing for every LGBTI young person” and amounted to a “political” decision because schools who opted to use the Safe Schools material did not have concerns about its content.

“[The program] was designed to protect young LGBTI people, because research has shown they are at a much higher risk of bullying, depression and attempted suicide.

“It was asked for by schools who wanted to know how to support young people and to see it wound back is disappointing.”

The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said the Safe Schools program had been used as a “political football by conservative critics” but added his party would consider the NSW government’s proposed replacement.

“It is important that children go to school and are not bullied on the basis of their sexuality.”

Guardian Australia contacted Tony Abbott for comment.