Education Minister Prue Car has rejected claims that the Respectful Relationships curriculum in schools promotes an “anti-boy ideology,” describing such assertions as politically motivated and misguided. The comments come amid ongoing public debate about how best to address sexual violence and misogyny among young people.
Federal Nationals leader Matt Canavan had recently criticized the state-funded curriculum, suggesting that while well-meaning, it could inadvertently steer boys toward harmful online content. Speaking at a roundtable in Sydney on Friday that addressed the spread of sexual violence and misogyny, Car responded that Canavan’s remarks demonstrate a lack of understanding of the challenges parents and educators face.
“The fact he thinks it is the feminisation of the curriculum just shows how out of touch he is with the actual challenge that parents are wrestling with right now,” Car said. She emphasized that teaching respect among young people is not about feminizing education but about fostering good human behavior. Car urged male politicians to use their influence to promote respect for young women rather than politicize efforts to protect girls.
The roundtable was organized by the New South Wales government in response to a series of alleged sexual assaults involving Sydney teenagers. Facilitated by NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr. Hannah Tonkin, the discussions involved victims, school leaders from several institutions including Knox Grammar, St Andrews, Orange High, Blue Haven Public School, and Ashfield Boys High, alongside frontline service providers, researchers, and policymakers.
Participants identified key opportunities to strengthen the prevention of sexual violence, such as expanding the reach of Respectful Relationships Education across public and non-government schools. The group also committed to working with the federal government to explore measures that would give social media users greater control over content exposure.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, who also took part in the talks, highlighted the limits of school-based education in combating the pervasive influence of online spaces where harmful attitudes toward women proliferate. Plibersek criticized media companies for profiting from the vulnerability of young people, describing an “explosion” of sexual assault particularly among those under 18 years old.
“There is no doubt that online harms are spilling into the real world and doing real world harms right now,” Plibersek said. She noted that many boys encounter pornography before experiencing their first romantic relationship, learning damaging behavioral “scripts” such as disrespect and violence toward women. Plibersek warned that normalizing such conduct is profoundly harmful and insisted on the need for broader social efforts to counteract these trends.
The discussions from Friday’s roundtable are expected to serve as a foundation for ongoing efforts to address sexual violence and promote respectful relationships among youth.