NSW Premier vows to address working-with-children check loophole

The Australian

2 days ago

WARNING: Disturbing content
Governments need to rely on private childcare operators for safety, the NSW Premier says, as further details of another male carer accused of abusing kids are revealed.
Speaking to media on Friday, Premier Chris Minns said out-of-school care, daycare and preschool businesses needed to help governments and law enforcement agencies.
'The premise of the question is that for-profit providers offer an unsafe service. And I think that it's important to note that given the scale of out-of-school care, as well as before school care, as well as preschool, it's not possible for the state to bridge that gap by itself, so we rely on private providers.
'We also rely on not-for-profit organisations, local councils, and increasingly, because we're building 100 new preschools in the state, government-run preschool programs as well.'
The large mix of services looking after children meant his government would be reforming laws, Mr Minns said.
'I want to make it clear that we recognise there needs to be zero tolerance when it comes to strict, enforceable working-with-children checks.
'It's one of the reasons why we'll be introducing legislation to stop what we perceive to be a loophole that allows someone to access a working-with-children check after it has been denied. There needs to be a one strike policy,' Mr Minns said.
'We're also trialling CCTV in major centres.
'I recognise there's widespread community concern about this. Changes are required and needed. We will implement them in parliament and beyond.'
On Thursday, the Australian Federal Police revealed a Sydney man had been charged with producing child abuse material of 10 victims, the oldest being just six years old.
The alleged offending is linked to his employment at six different out-of-school-hours (OOSH) care services in North Sydney and the Sydney CBD between April 2021 and May 2024.
The man has since been identified as David William James, 26, a former student of elite Knox Grammar.
Mr James was also a probationary constable with NSW Police from December 2021 to September 2022 and, after failing to complete his probation, continued in a civilian role until he resigned in May 2023, NSW Police said in a statement.
Some of the alleged offending allegedly occurred while Mr James was training to be a NSW Police officer.
Mr James was removed from the police force over his failure to tell NSW Police he was simultaneously working in child care.
Documents seen by NewsWire reveal police will allege Mr James filmed young boys while they used the bathroom and masturbated in front of children, among other acts.
The families of alleged victims identified from the material have been notified, and support has been offered and provided by NSW Health.
Letters were sent to other families who had a child enrolled at one of the six Sydney care services where Mr James had been employed and evidence of alleged offending had been identified.
A further 52 OOSH care facilities and other providers that employed Mr James have been identified and contacted, though police said there was no evidence to suggest any alleged offending took place at these facilities.
Urgent childcare reforms passed the lower house of parliament in Canberra this week.
The Bill would give the federal government power to cut off funding to childcare centres that do not meet the National Quality Standards for safety and quality.
The reforms were expedited after Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with more than 70 offences.
He is yet to enter any pleas and remains before the courts.
Parents and carers of 2000 children were asked by police to get their kids tested for sexually transmitted infections in relation to Mr Brown's case.
His matters were only made public on July 1 after a suppression order was lifted.
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