More than 76,000 bullying incidents reported in Queensland schools

Cyber-bullying skyrockets in the last decade as the Queensland government vows to develop an ‘anti-bullying plan’.

There were more than 76,000 bullying incidents and 61,000 harassment incidents reported in Queensland schools last year.

There were more than 76,000 bullying incidents and 61,000 harassment incidents reported in Queensland schools last year, as the state government vowed to build up an anti-bullying workforce within schools to better respond to incidents.

Cyber bullying incidents increased more than 41 per cent since 2013 to 7275, according to a report by the Queensland Audit Office into bullying responses at Queensland schools, with Auditor-General Rachel Vagg making six recommendations, and the department agreeing or agreeing in principle to all of them.

In the worst cases, one Queensland student had 79 complaints against them and 17 other students received more than 21 complaints, with 4000 suspensions and expulsions for bullying.

The QAO’s report also revealed the state’s remote regions, including Birdsville, Burketown, Charleville, Croydon, Winton and Thargomindah, had the highest rates of bullying with 23 incidents per 100 students in 2023.

First Nations students were twice as likely to be involved in bullying incidents compared to their non-Indigenous peers, and students from disadvantaged backgrounds (based on the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) were three times more likely to be involved in bullying incidents than their more advantaged peers.

The report also found bullying in Queensland peaked in year 7, with 29.5 per cent of students ­displaying bullying behaviour in 2023.

“Our analysis of the bullying incidents reported by state schools in 2023 identified that some groups of students, some schools, and some student cohorts may need more support to address bullying behaviour than others,” the QAO report states.

The report called for “a more co-ordinated approach to reducing bullying”, whereby the department “co-ordinates, communi­cates and measures bullying to ensure its approaches are effective in reducing it”.

In its assessment of 50 school codes of conduct (the primary method by which schools communicate with parents and students about how they manage bullying), the audit office found that state schools often left out key information on who to contact about bullying and how parents could escalate their concerns if they were not satisfied with the school’s response. It also found that the department does not measure whether its bullying strategies and policies work.

The Queensland Department of Education said in response that it would develop an “integrated community anti-bullying plan” providing clear advice about its “approach to preventing and responding to bullying”, which would include opportunities to streamline existing state school student code of conducts, all by July 2025.

The department also vowed to create an “anti-bullying school staff capability” by January 2026 to lift expertise in schools to respond to and identify bullying, which would include resources to support students most at risk of bullying.

“Cyber-bullying is of particular concern for the whole community, particularly parents, who must be supported to take action to protect their children’s mental health and wellbeing from the impact of social media,” acting director-general Sharon Schimming said.

“The research evidence confirms that preventing and responding to bullying requires an integrated, community-focused response to raise awareness, lift the ­capacity of families and services to respond and support every child, young person and parent to access the support they need.”