David Elliott will meet with consent petition founder Chanel Contos

Police Minister David Elliott will meet former Sydney schoolgirl and consent petition founder Chanel Contos after reading the ‘shocking’ testimonies.

Police Minister David Elliott will meet former Kambala School student Chanel Contos to discuss consent education after reading her “incredibly shocking” blog.

Ms Contos’ petition calling for earlier consent education went viral, with thousands of stories from schoolgirls claiming they had been raped or harassed by boys in their classes. The petition has over 37,500 signatures and 3000 testimonies from public and private school students.

Chanel Contos, the former Kambala schoolgirl who launched a petition asking how many schoolgirls had been raped. Picture: Instagram

Mr Elliott said he would be speaking with the London-based student via teleconference on Monday.

“I have read the blog. I am incredibly shocked,” Mr Elliott said. “Chanel has reached out to my office.”

The meeting follows Mr Elliott being asked in budget estimates last week if he had heard of the petition.

While he admitted he had not heard of Chanel during the estimates hearing, he has since read the petition.

The Police Minister hinted at how he had first-hand experience of what he described as “misogynistic behaviour” towards a close family member.

“As I mentioned earlier, I have had someone close to me affected by what can only be described as misogynist.”

Police Minister David Elliott will meet Chanel Contos. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Mr Elliott said he was happy about the consent debate. “As the father of two teenage boys, it is a matter of serious and daily discussion in my house.

“Having had a loved one severely beaten by a partner, it is something that seriously sets me off. Parents, do your job.”

Chanel told The Saturday Telegraph she was happy the issue was being discussed.

“I am glad that he is delighted there is a debate on consent, but we need people in positions of power to be strong advocates for the cause, and push it to the forefront of government issues,” she said.

“It is not only further comments I would like from him, but further ­action.”

TIME EVERY CHILD WAS TAUGHT THIS IS THE AGE OF CONSENT

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has called for a national standard to be set on how consent is taught in schools.

While NSW — along with other states and territories — had each addressed the issue in the syllabus, it made sense for there to be a national approach, given the present conversation on the issue, Ms Mitchell said.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell.

The state government conducted a review of the school Personal Development, Health and Physical Education syllabus in 2016-17, drawing on advice from parents, teachers, students, health professionals, sex education and curriculum experts.

The review found that the issue of consent needed greater focus.

Last year, students from Kindergarten to Year 10 began being taught about consent in an age-appropriate way, with senior students tackling the issue in the Life Ready course.

With the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reviewing the school curriculum to Year 10, Ms Mitchell said it was a perfect time for the states and territories to come together to determine the national expectation on what was to be taught in schools.

“I’m looking forward to a conversation with other education ministers about how we better incorporate consent into education and what our standards are,” Ms Mitchell said.

“I hope the NSW syllabus can offer a good start. Consent needs to be taught early and explicitly.

“We can all learn from each other and we need to continue the conversation on consent.”

Ms Mitchell said it was also not just schools that needed to be tackling the issue, but that workplaces, institutions, and households also play a part.

Formal consultation on the National Health and Physical Education curriculum will begin in April.

The NSW Education Standards Authority will be making a submission to ACARA on behalf of the state’s schools.

Until 2016, consent was taught in NSW by way of discussions about “respectful relationships”. After the review, teachers must discuss the concept of consent explicitly.

Originally published as David Elliott will meet with consent petition founder Chanel Contos