New Restriction Orders for Adults Who Disrupt or Threaten Harm Near Schools (called "School Safety Orders")
Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Introduced by: The Hon Prue Car MP (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
The Debate
What different members said when this bill was debated:
Edmond Atalla ALP
“I speak in support of the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. The bill goes to the very heart of what we value in New South Wales: safe schools, respected teachers and every child’s right to a quality education. The bill is about protection—protection of our students, protection of our teachers and school staff, and protection of the integrity of our school system.”
Brendan Moylan NAT
“I contribute to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. As the husband of an incredibly hardworking primary school teacher, I support the bill, as does the Opposition.”
Liesl Tesch ALP
“I speak in support of the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. The bill protects the people who dedicate their lives to educating our children and ensuring that every student can learn in a safe, supportive and respectful environment. Teachers, principals and school staff play an extraordinary role in our communities.”
Michael Regan IND
“I contribute to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026 and its potential impact on parents and carers advocating for neurodivergent students and children with a disability. Recently I wrote to the Minister on behalf of those parents and teachers, whom I am working closely with, which I want to put on record. It reads:”
Marjorie O'Neill ALP
“I speak in support of the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. I begin by acknowledging the teachers, principals, support staff and other education workers who go to school every day to do one of the most important jobs in our community. I come from a long line of teachers.”
Geoff Provest NAT
“I contribute to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026.”
Anna Watson ALP
“I begin my contribution to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026 by acknowledging all the amazing public schoolteachers in my electorate at the primary and secondary level, as well as teachers of kids with special needs. They are the backbone of our community. They do such a fantastic job. I thank them for everything they do for our little learners.”
Jacqui Scruby IND
“I contribute to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. My maternal grandparents were both public school teachers. My grandfather was at Pittwater High School in my electorate, and my grandmother was the first female principal at St Ives High School. This bill is about something quite simple. It is about standards.”
David Harris ALP
“I commend the member for Pittwater for her contribution. As a former practitioner, I say that she hit the nail on the head. I speak today in strong support of the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. Before I entered this place, my life was anchored in public education. For years, I stood at the front of a classroom, watching a student finally grasp a difficult concept.”
Adam Crouch LIB
“I acknowledge my good friend the member for Wyong. He was a truly outstanding educator and an excellent principal in the public education system on the Central Coast, where he was highly regarded by all his staff. I have to make a confession. I am the very proud son of an educator and come from a family of educators. My mum is a retired high school teacher.”
Sally Quinnell ALP
“I speak in support of the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. I do so as a proud former teacher. I started teaching straight out of university. I was an incredibly passionate teacher right up to the days before I was elected to this place. In fact, the last class I taught just graduated year 12. I am a bit emotional to not be there to see those kids graduate.”
Steve Whan ALP
“I support the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026 and commend all the contributions to debate that we have heard already, particularly from former teaches like the member for Camden, the member for Wyong and a number of other members. I commend the Minister, and Deputy Premier, who has listened to all contributions throughout the debate.”
Sophie Cotsis ALP
“I acknowledge the Deputy Premier and fantastic Minister for Education and Early Learning, who is in the Chamber this afternoon, as well as all the contributions made to debate on the Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026. As has been stated from the outset, the bill is supported by the Opposition and other parties.”
Prue Car ALP
“The single biggest indicator of a child’s success at school is the teacher in front of their classroom. The Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026 is about those people. As Minister for Education and Early Learning, I am proud that the bill looks set to pass this House thanks to the support of the Parliament and the members who made contributions to debate today.”
News articles and press releases
Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
Ms PRUE CAR, Deputy Premier — 2026-03-18
The bill being put forward today addresses those shortcomings. For the first time, it will enshrine clearly in law the type of harmful behaviour and communication that we cannot accept in and around our schools. It will give authorised persons, such as education system leaders and school leaders, the power to issue a School Community Safety Order when an adult community member’s behaviour is simply unacceptable and when it impinges on the education of the students. Just to be clear, we are not talking about criminal behaviour here.
Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
Ms PRUE CAR, Deputy Premier — 2026-03-18
While the Inclosed Lands Protection Act can prevent access to a school site, it literally applies only to the area inside the school gate. It does not cover drop‑off and pick‑up zones, external car parks or the street outside the school; nor does it cover external sites used for school activities, such as school sport, school camps, excursions or events like formals—and it certainly does not cover behaviour online or on social media, or communication via phone or email. Currently some provisions under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act are available. Teachers and staff members can now seek an apprehended personal violence order [APVO] against a community member, but it has to be acknowledged that, in most cases, the burden of pursuing this action rests with the individual without the backing of their employer because the New South Wales Department of Education cannot support staff in that without government approval. It is time-consuming...
Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
Zoe Hercus, IEU NSW/ACT — 2026-05-14
The IEU welcomes the NSW government's proposal to empower school principals to ban parents if they threaten or abuse students, staff or other community members. Threatening and abusive behaviour directed at school staff by parents is unacceptable.
Education Amendment (School Community Safety) Bill 2026
Ms Tamara Smith MP, Greens (Ballina) — 2026-09-23
These sorts of orders are rarely used in other jurisdictions -- they are underutilised because people are concerned about overuse. We were pleased to see that the threshold in this State is higher so it cannot be used as a chilling tool to stop parents from engaging with their schools.