Fears the coalition Government is turning sex education into a political football

Labour's launched a petition to protect the guidelines in schools, saying removing them will discourage conversations around sexuality, consent and gender.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon says they want to ensure it's age appropriate, parents are consulted, and there is consistency in teaching.

Labour party Education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says this has always been non-contentious.

She says there have been agreements that schools are inclusive and kids' safety comes first, and teaching health and sexual education well is paramount for that.