Page 3769 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 26 August 2009
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schools are given guidance on the definition of the different forms of violence, harassment and conflict. Importantly, this policy encourages students, parents and carers to be proactive in dealing with any violence in any of our schools.
Through the keeping children safe in cyberspace guide we recognise that our students are incredibly technologically savvy. Just as violence and bullying is part of our media, cyberbullying is occurring in our communities and our homes. We know that banning mobile phones and Facebook accounts from schools will not be the answer. The answer is to teach students, parents and teachers about safe online behaviours and to teach our community about the potential privacy and security hazards involved in online activities such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Bebo.
That is why we have developed the keeping children safe in cyberspace guide. The guide educates parents, teachers and students about the consequences of cyberbullying, but it also encourages young people to recognise when online behaviour may cross an ethical line, and it links families to the cybersmart kids online website. We are listening to young people, investing in their education and delivering a range of strategies to address violence in our community.
Since bullying and violence in schools will only disappear when it disappears from our communities, we aim to make our communities safer. Young people have told me through my numerous visits to schools and over 400 online contributions to the draft young people’s plan 2009-14 that they want safer public spaces; they want better designed cities; they want new suburbs in the Molonglo Valley to have inviting, social and well-lit spaces where they can hang out with their friends. We are listening to these views, and we will make Canberra a city which better meets their needs. Canberra will become more child friendly.
It is worth noting that the child-friendly cities movement arose in the mid-90s at the United Nations conference on human settlements. This initiative works alongside UNESCO’s growing up in cities project and the UN Habitat’s safer cities project. The ACT government, through its various agencies, is working to create more child-friendly places. We are listening to children. For example, during consultations on the design of the new child and family centre in West Belconnen, children told us they wanted a rainbow colour scheme in the centre. They told us they wanted playschool-shaped windows at their height. Tellingly, they wanted more water in their playground. Our children clearly care about their natural environment, sustainability and water security.
We are busy updating the children’s plan and creating a greater alignment between this plan and the young people’s plan. We are doing this because there is not a clear dividing line between when you are a child and when you are a young adult. Everyone transitions at different times and in different ways. This Labor government is busy listening to children and young people, investing in their futures and delivering safer communities for all.
Finally, in the time that remains in this debate for me, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all ACT schools. To all principals, congratulations and thank you. To the teachers, well done on your difficult job, and to student leaders, on
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