Push to stop teaching kids sexual consent

The decision came after heated debate over a motion for members to call upon the next LNP Queensland state government “to deliver holistic sexual consent education in schools”.

The motion also proposed an LNP government in Queensland would “develop a consent campaign to complement proposed changes to affirmative consent standards”.

It comes as the Queensland Labor government in 2022 committed more than $15.5 million over the next three years to implementing respectful relationships education.

The author of the motion encouraged conference attendees to support a future LNP government’s sexual consent education programs.

“This is about the legislative changes that have occurred in Queensland, it is to teach people about their obligations under the law and it is about the law of the land as it stands,” she said.

“It’s to teach them their obligations under the law because under the law ignorance is no excuse.”

However, the discussion between members quickly turned heated around the word “holistic” and how that could translate when deciding what was being taught in schools.

One LNP member said parents should have the final say when educating their children about sex.

He questioned whether including the word “holistic” would involve showing “diagrams in grade two”, which was met with applause from the conference.

“Can I ask a serious question of this convention, why are we so determined to teach our kids about sex through schools,” the member asked.

“No means no. A parent can have that conversation in 30 seconds and yet you put this motion forward as the greatest trojan horse for the left.

“I really do not think a motion like this belongs in this party.

“It’s not about contesting whether no means no or it does. Of course no means no.

“The fact of the matter is passing legislation like this, it will be manipulated by those who will want to manipulate it.”

However, another LNP member who supported the motion encouraged voters to get behind proper sexual consent education in schools to ensure younger generations were better equipped at pursuing healthy relationship.

“I think we need something like this to actually deliver correct and accurate information that young people can take into adulthood so they can have the skills to navigate relationship, to navigate what it means to say no and to know what they’re getting into.

“It equips kids with the knowledge of heading into adulthood.”

Despite the enthusiastic debate between both sides, the motion ultimately lost after members voted against it on the final day of the LNP annual state conference in Brisbane on Sunday.

Earlier, Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli condemned the state government’s handling of the rising cost of living and youth crime.

In his address to the conference on Sunday, Mr Crisafulli highlighted its controversial “renters tax” as part of its land tax policy which was shelved in October after other states failed to support the idea.

“This saved Queenslanders from the lunacy of a tax on renters in the middle of a housing crisis … but the damage was done,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“The uncertainty caused by Labor’s ill-fated Renters’ Tax inflicted untold damage on the confidence of investors and has exacerbated the Queensland Housing Crisis.”

A spokeswoman for the premier’s office stated the recent budget had given Queenslanders a financial boost to alleviate as part of their $8.2b cost of living relief measures, including an automatic $550 rebate on every household electricity bill in 2023-24.

Mr Crisafulli also said youth justice has also gone by the wayside under the current government.

“It is clear, the chaos and crisis of the Labor Government has ruined our State’s Child Safety system and is turbocharging the Queensland Youth Crime Crisis,” he said.

The Queensland Labor government announced in April a funding package estimated to be worth more than $3m to fight the scourge of youth offending.

The premier’s spokeswoman said the LNP had supported new tougher measures on Youth Justice by voting in favour of the policy.

However, Mr Crisafulli said more needed to be done to prevent children falling through the cracks and “falling into a life of crime”.

Originally published as LNP members have voted against delivering sexual consent education in Queensland schools