I've never heard of anyone getting suspended just for swearing here that's for sure. I think here it's one step before being completely expelled though - detentions are for everything else I guess.

It may vary a bit depending on where you go - in the remote country area school I went to as a kid there were some boys who'd get the beach ball bat over their arse if they were ever sent to the principle.

I think the threat of that kept most of us well behaved but I doubt it would happen anywhere in Australia now.