The Victorian Opposition will put 15.3 million dollars towards a groundbreaking crackdown on school bullying, should they win November’s state election.

The program would put the controversial Safe Schools program on the chopping block. This is considered by many to be a propagandist exercise in gender ideology, not an anti-bullying program, as its proponents suggest.

Victoria’s Shadow Education Minister, Tim Smith, says the program is aimed at cultivating respect.

“It’s about ensuring that every child can go to school and learn in an environment which is free from harassment and bullying, no matter what your background is,” says Smith.

Though prevention is a focus of the program, punishment is also pursued.

“It’s three strikes, three serious cases of bullying and you’re out. We’re going to back a principal who takes the rare and often overruled in Victoria action of expelling a child.”

“What you’ve seen in Victoria in recent years is a number of expulsions for repeated violent bullies being overturned by the Andrew’s Labor Government. This is the sort of stuff we have to back a principal on, because a principal knows more about what’s going on in their school community than any politician or bureaucrats.”

Under the program, students will also be rewarded for being “up-standers and not bystanders” when they encounter instances of bullying.

Click PLAY below for the full interview