❓ The question seeks information on investigations into potential child sex offences committed by individuals with concerning working with children check outcomes and whether impacted organisations/parents were notified. The Minister acknowledges the Auditor General's report and outlines actions taken to improve the system, but states they are unaware of any specific concerns raised regarding child wellbeing.
AnsweredQoN 1066Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECKS
— AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT
1066. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
answers in the Legislative Council regarding the number of charged or convicted
child sex offenders who have been working for children for very long periods.
(1) What
investigations has the minister commenced to determine whether any child sex
offences have been committed by those applicants while they were working with
children?
(2) Have all the impacted organisations and parents
been notified; and, if so, on what date; and, if not, why not?
— AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT
1066. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Child Protection:
I refer to the minister's
answers in the Legislative Council regarding the number of charged or convicted
child sex offenders who have been working for children for very long periods.
(1) What
investigations has the minister commenced to determine whether any child sex
offences have been committed by those applicants while they were working with
children?
(2) Have all the impacted organisations and parents
been notified; and, if so, on what date; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
member's questions come as a result of an Auditor General's
report into the working with children check system. This report was handed down
about four weeks ago and found that our legislation and our practice of issuing interim negative notices,
particularly, when a person has a criminal charge or conviction , could
be a lot more robust. I accept that recommendation of the Auditor General. In
fact, the department received short but advanced notice of the Auditor General's
recommendations. The department was a very happy to take them all on board, and
it gave commitments to make sure that they were built into its processes.
Similarly, the Auditor General completed a report into working with children
check system under the Liberal–National government, and a number of
recommendations were made then to improve the system. Most, but not all, of
those recommendations were taken up by the then Liberal–National
government. In fact, under the previous government, there was a similar finding
that people were not being given interim negative notices and were allowed to
work while their applications were being processed.
Having said that, I accept that no level of risk in relation to this matter is
acceptable. I have had conversations with the director general of the
department to make clear my preference for a much greater use of interim
negative notices. That means that if there is any level of risk, caution is
exercised and an interim negative notice is issued, which would prevent a person
going to work with children while their application is processed. That is the
system in place.
The member asked about past failures
to issue interim negative notices and of people being allowed to work where
they could have had exposure to children while those applications were being
processed. The questions that were asked in the other place revealed that some
people had charges and a very small number had convictions that would be
concerning.
In relation to whether there have
been any investigations around children being exposed to those people while
they were there, I am not aware that that is the case or that there was any
concern raised in relation to child-related work while the working with
children check applications were processed. Once they have a negative notice, they quite obviously are not
able to do child-related work. I am not aware that there have been any concerns raised. Members would be aware
that in a number of child-related professions, mandatory reporting
applies—for instance, in schools, health services, boarding houses and
the like. A number of professions have mandatory reporting. I am certainly not
aware of any cases in which there was any concern raised about children's
wellbeing because people were later given negative notices.
member's questions come as a result of an Auditor General's
report into the working with children check system. This report was handed down
about four weeks ago and found that our legislation and our practice of issuing interim negative notices,
particularly, when a person has a criminal charge or conviction , could
be a lot more robust. I accept that recommendation of the Auditor General. In
fact, the department received short but advanced notice of the Auditor General's
recommendations. The department was a very happy to take them all on board, and
it gave commitments to make sure that they were built into its processes.
Similarly, the Auditor General completed a report into working with children
check system under the Liberal–National government, and a number of
recommendations were made then to improve the system. Most, but not all, of
those recommendations were taken up by the then Liberal–National
government. In fact, under the previous government, there was a similar finding
that people were not being given interim negative notices and were allowed to
work while their applications were being processed.
Having said that, I accept that no level of risk in relation to this matter is
acceptable. I have had conversations with the director general of the
department to make clear my preference for a much greater use of interim
negative notices. That means that if there is any level of risk, caution is
exercised and an interim negative notice is issued, which would prevent a person
going to work with children while their application is processed. That is the
system in place.
The member asked about past failures
to issue interim negative notices and of people being allowed to work where
they could have had exposure to children while those applications were being
processed. The questions that were asked in the other place revealed that some
people had charges and a very small number had convictions that would be
concerning.
In relation to whether there have
been any investigations around children being exposed to those people while
they were there, I am not aware that that is the case or that there was any
concern raised in relation to child-related work while the working with
children check applications were processed. Once they have a negative notice, they quite obviously are not
able to do child-related work. I am not aware that there have been any concerns raised. Members would be aware
that in a number of child-related professions, mandatory reporting
applies—for instance, in schools, health services, boarding houses and
the like. A number of professions have mandatory reporting. I am certainly not
aware of any cases in which there was any concern raised about children's
wellbeing because people were later given negative notices.
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