Cory Bernardi to present petition against same-sex program

Outspoken Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has lashed out at a government-funded "propaganda" program that teaches 11-year-olds about gay and lesbian issues.

Senator Bernardi says he will present a petition with more than 9400 signatures to the Senate on Tuesday calling on the government to remove all federal funding from the Safe Schools Coalition program.

Have you had an experience with the Safe Schools Coalition program? Contact us at newstips@ninemsn.com.au.

He said it was alarming the government was contributing $8 million to a program that bullies and intimidates children if they don't comply with the LGBTI agenda.

He said it was inappropriate for 11-year-olds to be invited to imagine they were in a same-sex relationship, or had no genitals.

"It beggars belief that we're asking 11-year-olds to identify themselves or imagine themselves as having no genitals," he told the Senate on Monday night.

"Schools should be places of learning, not propaganda."

Senator Bernardi said the program reflected a broader agenda by the left side of politics and sought to indoctrinate students to make them their advocates.

Greens senator Robert Simms said that was a laughable proposition.

The openly gay senator said it would have been nice to learn in school that gay people could have happy lives.

"This program isn't about trying to encourage any particular sexuality or gender identity," he told the Senate.

"The message for Senator Bernardi: we're queer, we're here, news flash."