Petition Comprehensive sexuality education in schools

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the compulsory inclusion of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in Victorian schools, which introduces children under 12 to explicit and controversial concepts of gender and sexuality without parental consent.

Unlike traditional sex education, which focuses on biological facts and the basics of reproduction, CSE promotes sexual experimentation, normalises high-risk sexual behaviours, and advances ideological perspectives on gender that are not universally accepted. It encourages discussions of sexuality beyond an age-appropriate level, potentially compromising the emotional and psychological wellbeing of young children. These programs fail to respect cultural, religious, and moral diversity and undermine the primary role of parents in shaping their children’s values.

Under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, parents have a legal right to be involved in their child’s education. Yet, current policies restrict their ability to prevent exposure to inappropriate content. Concerns have also been raised about a rise in child-on-child sexual abuse, with an average of six cases reported to police a week, since the introduction of explicit sex education.


The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to implement an opt-in requirement for all sex and relationships education for children under 12 to ensure schools obtain explicit parental consent before delivering such content, require schools to disclose all materials, controversial library books and lesson plans to parents in advance, and conduct an independent review into the impact of comprehensive sexuality education, including potential links to increased child-on-child sexual abuse.