Grace Grace reveals personal LGBTQI+ experience in wide-ranging interview on schools and politics

Queensland’s former education minister has opened up on her personal views on LGBTQI+ issues as a parent of a non-binary child, and revealed the biggest challenges facing the state’s children, as well as the threat posed by the “extreme” Green Party.

Former education minister Grace Grace says closing down special schools and putting high-needs children into mainstream schools would deny Queensland parents the ability to make informed choices.

Ms Grace, who now holds the State Development and Infrastructure portfolio, had previously shown reluctance to weigh in on the controversial recommendations made in September by a split Disability Royal Commission calling to phase out special education within 30 years.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Saturday Courier-Mail, Ms Grace opened up on the biggest challenges facing Queensland kids, her unwavering support of LGBTQI+ rights inspired by her own child and the threat posed by the Green Party.

Ms Grace, who spent more than six years in the Education portfolio and was the state’s second-longest serving education minister, said she had spoken to Brisbane parents who had been gripped with anxiety over “indications” that special schools could close.

She opened two special schools on the Gold and Sunshine coasts and had another planned for Springfield during her tenure.

New State Development and Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace spent more than six years in the Education portfolio. Picture: Richard Walker

“What we want to deliver is an informed choice for those parents to make, and I don’t think we can take that choice away from them,” Ms Grace said.

“In my office, I have had people who want to close them down, others insist to have them open, and every shade in between. And that’s why I think the commission was split.

“But I don’t think you can move away from special schools. That would be my view. Because those parents who have made those informed decisions have decided that is what’s best for their children and we don’t want to deny them that choice.”

Advocacy groups at the time argued inclusive education better equipped students for “the real world”.

Ms Grace, a longtime ally of the LGBTQI+ community and parent of a non-binary child, said schools had to “set the standard” in treating all students with love and respect.

It comes nearly two years after the Citipointe Christian College scandal in which parents were asked to sign a contract that stated their children would identify as their birth gender or face being excluded from school.

Ms Grace at the time said the contract was “very distressing” and slammed the school as “unacceptable”.

She said prejudice had no place in Queensland schools.

“I think what we’ve done with inclusive education has been terrific but unfortunately the outside world comes into schools and we can’t shut that out. If vaping is outside it will come into schools, if smoking is outside it will come into schools, if prejudice is outside it will come into schools,” Ms Grace said.

Ms Grace says schools have to “set the standard” in treating all students with love and respect. Picture: Liam Kidston

“What we have to do is set the standard … everyone should be respected regardless of their gender, sexuality or religious beliefs. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and honourably.

“There is a journey these students go through, they’re young, they deserve support and respect.”

She said she had “never understood why anyone would discriminate or hurt any member of that community”.

Ms Grace, who put airconditioning in every state school – something school insiders thought to be impossible – and delivered Free Kindy to thousands of families, listed cyber-bullying as one of the biggest challenges facing Queensland kids.

Her surprise comments come ahead of Queensland’s rollout of a statewide mobile phone ban, a long awaited move that brings it in line with other states.

Ms Grace said the modern world where children have 24/7 connection to a computer was both a blessing and a curse. “I talk to principals who say their Monday morning is virtually ‘oh Johnnie texted James as an example’, and they’re dealing with the fallout of what’s happened on the weekend, it’s a different world,” she said.

“We live in a modern world and there is a lot of pressure (on kids). It’s different to when I went to school, there are so many outside of school things that weren’t available to me.

“Most schools already ban phones but then we’re going to that next level, away for the day.”

With the Green Party expected to pose a significant risk to several Labor-held seats, including her own in McConnell, Ms Grace vowed to continue “as long as they want me”.

“Of course. I see everyone as a threat, of course. Inner city trends are happening and of course I would never take them for granted,” she said.

“But the Greens are extreme, really a party of protest, they have never delivered anything, and I will sit on my record against theirs any day.”

Ms Grace said it was a difficult decision in bowing out of education – a portfolio which she brought so much stability to – but backed Di Farmer to be a successful replacement.