Tasmanian Greens Leader Kim Booth has thrown his support behind a petition by awareness group Angels Hope to make bullying an offence.
Angels Hope and Mr Booth used the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence to launch the petition, which calls for changes to the State Criminal Code to tackle the issue of bullying.
Angels Hope was started by a Launceston father and daughter team, Reuben Cunningham and Chloe Cunningham, after Ms Cunningham’s own experience of being bullied.
Mr Booth said they were using social media to raise support and hoped to secure as many as 10,000 signatures on the petition.
“The petition will be predominantly broadcast via social networking, however there will also be many paper copies distributed around the state to enable anyone and everyone to pledge their name and support the call for legislated change,” he said.
“The aim of [the petition] is to bring to the attention of the State Government the urgent need for an overhaul of current laws to include bullying as an offence or form of unacceptable behaviour and thus punishable in accordance with the legislation.”
Mr Booth is sponsoring the petition in an effort to start a dialogue about what can be done to stop bullying.
Ninety schools around Tasmania are also participating in activities for the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-20/petition-launched-to-make-bullying-an-offence/6336124
