Free at last. The end of corporal punishment in Queensland schools.

By Alan Corbett
Community contribution / February 28, 2016

In 2015, the last two non-state schools in Australia known to use corporal punishment decided to discontinue its use. This article focuses on the two Queensland schools concerned and examines the possible reasons why they ceased using corporal punishment. The article also calls for government action to ensure this archaic and unprofessional practice can never be used again.

We can’t be sure why the last two non-state schools in Australia to use corporal punishment, namely Central Queensland Christian ...

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By Alan Corbett

Community

Alan Corbett grew up in Chatswood, a suburb of Sydney. He attended both the local state primary and high school and then went to Macquarie University to train as a Primary/Infants teacher. He taught in country NSW and then travelled overseas, completed a post graduate diploma in teaching English as a Foreign language and taught English in Libya. After his return he taught ESL in the western suburbs of Sydney. Later, he completed a M.A. at Macquarie, became a school counsellor then lecturer in Education and Teaching Studies at the Australian Catholic University in Sydney from 1987-1995. In 1995, he was elected to the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament for an eight year term. After his eight year term he and his wife moved to Queensland. He is a full-time carer of his wife but he still advocates for the welfare and safety of children, especially with regard to the physical punishment of children at home, at school and the association of corporal punishment at home with later family violence. He is 61 years old with one son who is an English teacher.

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Free at last. The end of corporal punishment in Queensland schools.

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