This new regulation will encompass independent, government, and Catholic schools throughout the state.
The policy grants the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) the authority to instruct schools on handling reported issues and even terminate a teacher found breaching the conduct code.
“It’s essential that schools remain safe environments,” stated Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car.
“This is a sensible reform. For most schools, this will not be necessary,” she added.
Premier Minns concurred, emphasizing that the overwhelming majority of educators are dedicated to their roles for the right reasons.
He assured that this is not an infringement on free speech and emphasized that discussions on topics such as the Gaza conflict would not be prohibited in classrooms.
Nor, he said, would religious schools face any new limits on quoting religious texts – unless the person quoting those texts was doing so in order to publicly incite racial hatred.
Meanwhile, the government today will also introduce legislation to strengthen powers councils have to deal with illegally-operated prayer halls, including enhanced shutdown powers.
”This legislation will mean the penalties are severe and the actions the council can take are decisive,” Minns said.
“Everybody has to do their bit, and this is just one area or change we can progress in order to keep the public safe.”
Councils will also be directed to consult with police on receipt of any development application for a place of public worship – already a common step, but one which will be formalised.
Planning Minister Paul Scully said penalties for individuals and corporations who breached public worship laws would also be doubled.
The announcements came ahead of the scheduled visit to Australia and New South Wales by Israeli President Isaac Herzog next week.
Herzog is likely to visit Bondi and meet members of the Jewish community targeted in the December 14 terror attack that killed 15 people.
Minns said senior members of the government had been in talks with police in the lead-up to the event.
While he didn’t go into details – saying instead Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon was likely to make an announcement soon – he indicated protest restrictions would likely be in place during Herzog’s visit.
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