Mystery of Scott Morrison’s $100m promise to Chanel Contos exposed

An exclusive investigation has found that a $100 million pledge by the Morrison Government to sexual violence prevention has yet to eventuate.

She was the founder and public face of the Teach Us Consent movement that helped galvanise governments into sinking over $75 million into improving sex education in the nation’s schools.

Chanel Contos was just 22 when her Instagram account and petition sparked a national conversation about Australia’s sexual assault crisis within schools.

Just weeks before the election, the Morrison Government announced a $100 million funding deal to prevent sexual violence, which included $8 million for the Teach Us Consent campaign that Chanel Contos founded.

But an investigation by news.com.au has confirmed that the $100 million promised over a year ago still hasn’t been delivered to any provider, including her organisation.

Chanel Contos hasn’t wanted to complain, but agreed to set the record straight after being contacted with the findings of that investigation.

“I mean, I never saw the money but the curriculum change happened which is the important thing,” she told news.com.au.

“I don’t want it to make it seem like I’m kicking up a fuss. (News.com.au) started investigating it. If I thought it was injustice I could have reached out to the media.”

Teach Us Consent’s filing to The Australia Charities and Not-for-profits Commission confirms Teach us Consent raised $94,000 in donations and spent $67,000 on a website and billboards.

Chanel Contos never saw a cent of the pledged money. Picture: Instagram

Ms Contos erected Teach Us consent billboards using funding from campaigns and donations.

The Teach Us Consent founder never saw a cent from the Morrison Government.

Her organisation never received a dollar from the government despite press releases announcing an $8 million spend.

Ms Contos is at pains to say she’s not complaining and is proud the important work she did created real change.

But despite not receiving any funding, she has been the subject of a whispering campaign in the sector that her organisation received $8 million dollars, and questions on what it has been spent on.

The short answer is; nothing, because despite the press releases in March, 2022, it never arrived.

“Yeah, I mean, I hear that a lot. I’m worried people think we wasted the millions,” she said.

“I just want them to know that we did the whole thing from start to finish off the back of pro bono work, volunteers and a $90,000 crowd fund.”

The former Kambala School student started a national conversation about consent education. Picture: Liam Kidston

Her campaign drew the attention of then-PM Scott Morrison, but he never delivered on his promise. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins.

Chanel and Grace Tame. Picture: Instagram

The story of her strange and curious interactions with the Morrison Government begins in February, 2021.

A former student at the prestigious Kambala School in Sydney, she rose to national prominence when she began an Instagram poll asking for stories from young Australian women who had been sexually assaulted in February 2021.

After an outpouring of responses, she started the website Teach Us Consent, which hosted a separate online petition to ask for sexual consent education in Australian schools.

In May 2021 Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged to meet with Ms Contos to discuss sexual consent education.

That meeting was delayed by Covid and the fact Ms Contos was living in London.

The passionate advocate for consent curriculum lived in London for a stint in 2021. Photo: Ella Pellegrini

Chanel says she didn't want to make a fuss about the missing funding. Picture: Instagram

It finally occurred in 2022, and weeks later came a surprise.

She met with a political staffer from the Morrison Government for coffee in March, 2022, who told her she was getting $8 million. Despite never putting in a submission for funding.

Stunned, Ms Contos contacted Teach Us Consent’s board.

“I called members of the team, so excited, thinking we could do all these incredible things,” she said.

“Then we started planning exactly how he would use it and budgeting like almost budgeting backwards.”

That was March, 2022. But by early April she called the anti-violence group OurWatch.

“It became clear that they didn’t know any money was meant to go to Teach Us Consent, they didn’t know how much was allocated,” she said.

“And they were very surprised when I said it was $8.5 million. They basically (said) ‘Okay, we need to talk about this’.

“We had back and forth between DSS and then by the time anything happened, the government was in caretaker, (so) nothing happened, and then the election was in May.

“And then the government changed. And then I started speaking with the new adviser, being like, there was intention for this money to come here. And they were basically, like, it’s sitting with Our Watch. I said, ‘Okay, I don’t want to fight them for it’.

“There was a miscommunication. I was under the impression that money would come to Teach Us Consent.”

Ms Contos, pictured with Brittany Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson, has been a driving force in conversations about consent and sexual violence in Australia. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images.

In a statement, OurWatch confirmed that “the Morrison government announced $100m in funding for Our Watch in March 2022.”

“I can confirm that we are still working on a funding agreement and that the funding agreements are required before funds are released,” she said.

“Also we are continuing to deliver information to young people on consent through The Line campaign. This work will be extended with new funding.

“Although the funding commitment was made in March, the funding required confirmation in the October federal budget.

“Given the size of the investment, Our Watch has been working closely with the Department of Social Services to develop a robust funding agreement that clearly outlines the work that Our Watch will deliver with the funding and the expected outcomes.”

Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly and Scott Morrison during a press conference in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch.

In the meantime, Ms Contos has been engaging in activism and arguing for change with little or no payment for the work beyond some speaking gigs.

She has also been working on a book on rape culture to be published by Pan MacMillan and for the Australia Institute.

Two years on, what has she learned from the whole experience?

“One of things I have learned is you don’t actually need that much money to do things if you’re savvy and if people are willing to help,’’ she said.

“But goodwill does expire.

“I would say that I’ve learned that the government is actually desperate to hear the voices of young people. And they’re actually extremely receptive to these voices when they’re put in front of them.

“I want Teach Us Consent to remain a not-for-profit. At least for now.

“I don’t want to fight over funds.”