Aussie mum and actress slams Anti-Bullying Rapid Review as a ‘masterclass in bureaucratic evasion’

A grieving mother has slammed the Federal Government’s long-awaited anti-bullying plan, saying it is too little too late.

In an exclusive interview with 7NEWS, actress Clare McCann said the new strategy is ‘‘completely inadequate” and would have done nothing to save her son.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Distraught mum slams anti-bullying plan five months on from son’s death.

McCann claims her 13-year-old son Atreyu, who was also an actor, took his life after a sustained campaign of bullying South Sydney High School.

Thursday marked five months since he died in May. It was his first year in high school.

“I feel I have to speak out. I think that Atreyu would want me to speak about this,” McCann said.

“I’m furious with this new plan. It promised so much and delivers nothing.”

Mcann savaged the review, calling it “completely inadequate”.

“It’s a plan to make a plan,” she said.

“It’s a repackaging of old ideas, a masterclass in bureaucratic evasion.

“I think they should be embarrassed.”

The report makes eight recommendations including more training for teachers and staff, greater transparency in the investigation process and sets a 48-hour deadline for schools to act.

But McCann says the recommendations are too vague and need to be more specific.

“It’s utterly ridiculous,” she said.

“It’s quite easy to read between the lines on that one. A lazy principal or teacher could just send an email within two days claiming that they are ‘looking into it’ but in fact do nothing.”

She alleged “that is exactly the kind of response Atreyu and I kept getting and to this day still have no answers at all”.

The final report runs 124 pages and was informed by more than 1700 submissions.

One of those was from McCann, and she feels she’s been completely ignored.

She is calling for mandatory suspension or expulsion for proven bullying.

She also wants more help for the child victims by giving them alternative “safe space” learning areas while investigations are underway.

She insists it is vital that teachers and staff face consequences if they fail to act on bullying claims.

“When there’s no accountability in the system, it’s designed to fail,” she said.

‘Doesn’t seem like there’s any justice at all’

McCann claims she knows of five schoolchildren who have committed suicide due to bullying since Atreyu passed away.

Through tears, she told 7NEWS: “My son’s in the ground... and the children are suffering.”

“It just doesn’t seem like there’s any justice at all.”

A spokesman for Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged the review’s shortcomings.

“On its own this won’t be enough,” he said.

“The Anti-Bullying Rapid Review is just the start of what we need to do and we will keep listening to parents as we implement it.”

He said McCann’s tragic story was “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

“The terrifying truth is it’s getting worse, not better. The internet is part of that. It means you can be bullied day and night and everyone can see it.

“Lots of parents spoke to the independent reviewers. What they said is schools need to act more quickly.

“Under the national plan, schools will need to take meaningful action in the first two days after a complaint, with steps like talking to the parents of both the victim and bully.”

McCann alleges the investigation into her bullying complaints failed to involve the suspected bully’s parents.

“They weren’t even contacted by the schools,” she said.

“The parents reached out to me and told me they’d heard nothing from the school - and they were angry about it.

“We were told by the school, ‘we’re looking into it’.

“They didn’t even call these parents to tell them what they were doing to my child. That’s not looking into it.”

The review has also recommended a National Standard on tackling bullying in Australian Schools while the Federal Government has committed $10 million for education and awareness.

McCann is still scathing of the Federal Government.

“Nothing in this review would have saved Atreyu,” she said.

She says her advice for other parents until the system is properly fixed: “homeschooling.”

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For further information about depression contact Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.

Lifeline can be contacted on 13 11 14 for 24/7 crisis support.

Kids Helpline can also be contacted on 1800 55 1800 for support for children aged 5 to 25.