Education Minister Simon Birmingham says the Safe Schools program will be overhauled.

Senator Birmingham said the government had ordered several sections of the program be redesigned and all references to external websites, except mental-health support services, be removed.

In response to the review, he said the program would also be restricted to high schools only and require schools to obtain parental consent.

“To further ensure the safety of the official resources generated by the program and also to ensure that it is really mainstreamed alongside of other student wellbeing and anti-bullying programs, we’ll be undertaking actions that will see the official resources of the program moved from the Safe Schools Coalition website to the Safe School hub,” he said.

“Safe Schools Hub is a website supported by Education Departments all around Australia.”

Protesters at the Hands Off Safe Schools rally in Melbourne earlier this month. Picture: Chris Hopkins/GettySource:Getty Images

Senator Birmingham said while there was no evidence of “advocacy and activism” in classrooms, he believed some people involved in the program had used it to further political agenda.

He said “advocacy and activism” had no place in the program.

“Just as proselytising is not part of the school chaplaincy program, advocacy must not be part of the Safe School program,” he said.

“This is here to help children in their wellbeing in schools and people who might have engaged in the past as presenting themselves as representatives of the program and in doing so speaking about political matters and advocating in those political matters have frankly done themselves and the program an enormous disservice and would be well advised to keep their mouths shut on such matters in future,” he said.

The review was ordered by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in response to lobbying by conservative Liberals including George Christensen and Cory Bernadi.

A petition calling for an inquiry into the program was being circulated on Wednesday night and had reportedly garnered as many as 40 signatures, including that of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Coalition MP George Christensen has led the charge against the Safe Schools program. Picture: AAP/Lukas CochSource:AAP

It followed a backbench briefing by the author of the review, University of Western Australia emeritus professor Bill Louden, with some in attendance reportedly suggesting it was a “white wash”.

Earlier today Senator Bernadi’s Kent Town electorate office was trashed by protesters carrying a “Hands Off Safe Schools” sign.

Mr Christensen said he was pleased by the government’s response.

“As long as all the stuff the Minister said comes to pass, all of the concern is gutted out of the program,” he said.

“I still am yet to see the response from the Safe Schools Coalition because we are talking about fundamentally altering what they have proposed and what they have proposed I think was disastrous for schoolchildren so if they reject what the government’s put forward then the funding will just be suspended, that’s my understanding from my conversation with the Minister.”

He said the government changes would ensure it was an “anti-bullying program rather than something that’s bringing in queer theory into classrooms and sexual liberation ideals into classrooms.”

HOW SAFE SCHOOLS WILL CHANGE

FOR PARENTS:

— Students will need parental consent to participate.

— Parents will also get a say if schools can take part.

— Gay and lesbian students who don’t get their parents’ consent can access school counselling.

WEBSITES:

— Safe Schools website will be stripped of some content.

— Content moved to a broader anti-bullying website within Department of Education.

— All third-party organisation branding removed from all official resources.

PROGRAM:

— Program materials restricted to secondary schools.

— Lesson plans amended to remove activities regarded “unsuitable” such as gender diversity-role playing activities.

— All of Us resource redesigned to ensure it’s backed by curriculum on biology appropriate for the target age group.

— Resources peer reviewed and approved by a panel of qualified educators from department.

— Restricting the use and distribution of the OMG I’m Queer, OMG My Friend’s Queer and Stand Out resources

PEOPLE:

— Managers won’t be able to bring program into disrepute, or engage in political advocacy