Inside the life of alleged Melbourne childcare rapist Joshua Brown
Working at 20 childcare centres across Melbourne, Brown apparently attracted no notice from regulators for almost a decade until he was charged with 70 counts of child sex abuse, including rape, this year.
When police raided the 26-year-old's home in Point Cook in May, he had a valid working with children check and no criminal record.
Minutes down the road from his house were his old Catholic schools, as well as the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre, where it's alleged he abused at least eight babies and toddlers and contaminated children's food with bodily fluids.
Brown's former classmates at Emmanuel College were shocked when the news broke on Tuesday. They described a 'loner' in high school with few friends but no obvious concerns.
Few people wanted to comment, and Brown's social media presence appeared to have been wiped clean since his arrest in May.
Brown grew up in Point Cook and remained in the area in a rented home that he shared with a male housemate and a cat. It is now sitting vacant. Nearby were at least five of the childcare centres where he worked, though authorities are still scrambling to update his full employment history, after this masthead revealed it was wider than first released publicly to families.
Brown was easily recognisable to parents for his distinctive Celtic arm tattoos and ginger-coloured hair, which he often dyed different colours. Some families spoke of his easy laughter. He worked at large childcare chains G8 Education and Affinity Education and often did short-stint relief work at other centres.
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The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Family 'validated' over coroner's police racism finding
A community says it has "had enough" of police after a coronial inquest into the death of an Indigenous teenager renewed allegations of racism. Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in the community of Yuendumu in 2019. In handing down her findings into the 19-year-old's death, coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she found Mr Rolfe to be racist and the Northern Territory Police Force to have "the hallmarks of institutionalised racism". Mr Rolfe maintained in a statement issued by his lawyer on Tuesday that it "was never about race". Mr Walker's family welcomed the coroner's findings. "When we heard the coroner say there was structural and entrenched racism in the NT Police Force, we felt validated as a family," Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said in Yuendumu on Tuesday Ms Fernandez-Brown said she was grateful the coroner's findings were handed down in the community, 300km from Alice Springs, on Monday. But she said recommendations around police accountability in the NT were not strong enough. "We heard countless evidence about how the police have been racist, how they have been violent and how they have used too much force when it comes to our people," Ms Fernandez-Brown said. The coroner's findings were postponed after the death of another Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in May. Mr White's grandfather, senior Yuendumu Elder Ned Hargraves, said something must be done. "We've had enough of these police," he said. "They are doing the biggest damage to our community ... they have no shame whatsoever." NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said it was clear racism existed in the force. "It is a truth that we must face. What was tolerated in the past will no longer be acceptable," he said in Alice Springs. Mr Dole said a decision to leave Yuendumu shortly after the findings were handed down was made after discussions with Elders. His comments come after Mr Hargraves expressed his disappointment the commissioner left the community without speaking with him. "I apologise that he feels that way," Mr Dole said. "I did have consultations with several of the Elders and we thought it best that meeting take place in future days." Mr Hargraves said he would be strongly against the commissioner returning to Yuendumu. "I won't talk to him again ... I don't want to," he said. The force's cultural reform executive director Leanne Liddle said NT Police was working to rebuild trust through an anti-racism strategy. Ms Fernandez-Brown said while she would like to remain optimistic about structural change, she wouldn't "hold my breath" for that to come from within the NT police force. "Asking the Northern Territory police force to become safe is unsustainable and a band-aid solution," she said. "I'd like to see a structure that replaces that altogether." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A community says it has "had enough" of police after a coronial inquest into the death of an Indigenous teenager renewed allegations of racism. Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in the community of Yuendumu in 2019. In handing down her findings into the 19-year-old's death, coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she found Mr Rolfe to be racist and the Northern Territory Police Force to have "the hallmarks of institutionalised racism". Mr Rolfe maintained in a statement issued by his lawyer on Tuesday that it "was never about race". Mr Walker's family welcomed the coroner's findings. "When we heard the coroner say there was structural and entrenched racism in the NT Police Force, we felt validated as a family," Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said in Yuendumu on Tuesday Ms Fernandez-Brown said she was grateful the coroner's findings were handed down in the community, 300km from Alice Springs, on Monday. But she said recommendations around police accountability in the NT were not strong enough. "We heard countless evidence about how the police have been racist, how they have been violent and how they have used too much force when it comes to our people," Ms Fernandez-Brown said. The coroner's findings were postponed after the death of another Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in May. Mr White's grandfather, senior Yuendumu Elder Ned Hargraves, said something must be done. "We've had enough of these police," he said. "They are doing the biggest damage to our community ... they have no shame whatsoever." NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said it was clear racism existed in the force. "It is a truth that we must face. What was tolerated in the past will no longer be acceptable," he said in Alice Springs. Mr Dole said a decision to leave Yuendumu shortly after the findings were handed down was made after discussions with Elders. His comments come after Mr Hargraves expressed his disappointment the commissioner left the community without speaking with him. "I apologise that he feels that way," Mr Dole said. "I did have consultations with several of the Elders and we thought it best that meeting take place in future days." Mr Hargraves said he would be strongly against the commissioner returning to Yuendumu. "I won't talk to him again ... I don't want to," he said. The force's cultural reform executive director Leanne Liddle said NT Police was working to rebuild trust through an anti-racism strategy. Ms Fernandez-Brown said while she would like to remain optimistic about structural change, she wouldn't "hold my breath" for that to come from within the NT police force. "Asking the Northern Territory police force to become safe is unsustainable and a band-aid solution," she said. "I'd like to see a structure that replaces that altogether." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A community says it has "had enough" of police after a coronial inquest into the death of an Indigenous teenager renewed allegations of racism. Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in the community of Yuendumu in 2019. In handing down her findings into the 19-year-old's death, coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she found Mr Rolfe to be racist and the Northern Territory Police Force to have "the hallmarks of institutionalised racism". Mr Rolfe maintained in a statement issued by his lawyer on Tuesday that it "was never about race". Mr Walker's family welcomed the coroner's findings. "When we heard the coroner say there was structural and entrenched racism in the NT Police Force, we felt validated as a family," Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said in Yuendumu on Tuesday Ms Fernandez-Brown said she was grateful the coroner's findings were handed down in the community, 300km from Alice Springs, on Monday. But she said recommendations around police accountability in the NT were not strong enough. "We heard countless evidence about how the police have been racist, how they have been violent and how they have used too much force when it comes to our people," Ms Fernandez-Brown said. The coroner's findings were postponed after the death of another Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in May. Mr White's grandfather, senior Yuendumu Elder Ned Hargraves, said something must be done. "We've had enough of these police," he said. "They are doing the biggest damage to our community ... they have no shame whatsoever." NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said it was clear racism existed in the force. "It is a truth that we must face. What was tolerated in the past will no longer be acceptable," he said in Alice Springs. Mr Dole said a decision to leave Yuendumu shortly after the findings were handed down was made after discussions with Elders. His comments come after Mr Hargraves expressed his disappointment the commissioner left the community without speaking with him. "I apologise that he feels that way," Mr Dole said. "I did have consultations with several of the Elders and we thought it best that meeting take place in future days." Mr Hargraves said he would be strongly against the commissioner returning to Yuendumu. "I won't talk to him again ... I don't want to," he said. The force's cultural reform executive director Leanne Liddle said NT Police was working to rebuild trust through an anti-racism strategy. Ms Fernandez-Brown said while she would like to remain optimistic about structural change, she wouldn't "hold my breath" for that to come from within the NT police force. "Asking the Northern Territory police force to become safe is unsustainable and a band-aid solution," she said. "I'd like to see a structure that replaces that altogether." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A community says it has "had enough" of police after a coronial inquest into the death of an Indigenous teenager renewed allegations of racism. Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in the community of Yuendumu in 2019. In handing down her findings into the 19-year-old's death, coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she found Mr Rolfe to be racist and the Northern Territory Police Force to have "the hallmarks of institutionalised racism". Mr Rolfe maintained in a statement issued by his lawyer on Tuesday that it "was never about race". Mr Walker's family welcomed the coroner's findings. "When we heard the coroner say there was structural and entrenched racism in the NT Police Force, we felt validated as a family," Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said in Yuendumu on Tuesday Ms Fernandez-Brown said she was grateful the coroner's findings were handed down in the community, 300km from Alice Springs, on Monday. But she said recommendations around police accountability in the NT were not strong enough. "We heard countless evidence about how the police have been racist, how they have been violent and how they have used too much force when it comes to our people," Ms Fernandez-Brown said. The coroner's findings were postponed after the death of another Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in May. Mr White's grandfather, senior Yuendumu Elder Ned Hargraves, said something must be done. "We've had enough of these police," he said. "They are doing the biggest damage to our community ... they have no shame whatsoever." NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said it was clear racism existed in the force. "It is a truth that we must face. What was tolerated in the past will no longer be acceptable," he said in Alice Springs. Mr Dole said a decision to leave Yuendumu shortly after the findings were handed down was made after discussions with Elders. His comments come after Mr Hargraves expressed his disappointment the commissioner left the community without speaking with him. "I apologise that he feels that way," Mr Dole said. "I did have consultations with several of the Elders and we thought it best that meeting take place in future days." Mr Hargraves said he would be strongly against the commissioner returning to Yuendumu. "I won't talk to him again ... I don't want to," he said. The force's cultural reform executive director Leanne Liddle said NT Police was working to rebuild trust through an anti-racism strategy. Ms Fernandez-Brown said while she would like to remain optimistic about structural change, she wouldn't "hold my breath" for that to come from within the NT police force. "Asking the Northern Territory police force to become safe is unsustainable and a band-aid solution," she said. "I'd like to see a structure that replaces that altogether." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Perth Now
Family 'validated' over coroner's police racism finding
A community says it has "had enough" of police after a coronial inquest into the death of an Indigenous teenager renewed allegations of racism. Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in the community of Yuendumu in 2019. In handing down her findings into the 19-year-old's death, coroner Elisabeth Armitage said she found Mr Rolfe to be racist and the Northern Territory Police Force to have "the hallmarks of institutionalised racism". Mr Rolfe maintained in a statement issued by his lawyer on Tuesday that it "was never about race". Mr Walker's family welcomed the coroner's findings. "When we heard the coroner say there was structural and entrenched racism in the NT Police Force, we felt validated as a family," Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said in Yuendumu on Tuesday Ms Fernandez-Brown said she was grateful the coroner's findings were handed down in the community, 300km from Alice Springs, on Monday. But she said recommendations around police accountability in the NT were not strong enough. "We heard countless evidence about how the police have been racist, how they have been violent and how they have used too much force when it comes to our people," Ms Fernandez-Brown said. The coroner's findings were postponed after the death of another Warlpiri man, Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody in Alice Springs in May. Mr White's grandfather, senior Yuendumu Elder Ned Hargraves, said something must be done. "We've had enough of these police," he said. "They are doing the biggest damage to our community ... they have no shame whatsoever." NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said it was clear racism existed in the force. "It is a truth that we must face. What was tolerated in the past will no longer be acceptable," he said in Alice Springs. Mr Dole said a decision to leave Yuendumu shortly after the findings were handed down was made after discussions with Elders. His comments come after Mr Hargraves expressed his disappointment the commissioner left the community without speaking with him. "I apologise that he feels that way," Mr Dole said. "I did have consultations with several of the Elders and we thought it best that meeting take place in future days." Mr Hargraves said he would be strongly against the commissioner returning to Yuendumu. "I won't talk to him again ... I don't want to," he said. The force's cultural reform executive director Leanne Liddle said NT Police was working to rebuild trust through an anti-racism strategy. Ms Fernandez-Brown said while she would like to remain optimistic about structural change, she wouldn't "hold my breath" for that to come from within the NT police force. "Asking the Northern Territory police force to become safe is unsustainable and a band-aid solution," she said. "I'd like to see a structure that replaces that altogether." 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Male educators ‘feel unsupported' by sector leaders amid calls for bans in wake of horrific child abuse claims
An advocate for Australia's male childcare employees says men in the industry are experiencing an 'existential crisis' after horrific child abuse allegations sparked calls for them to be banned from working with kids. The federal government has vowed to fast-track improvements to safety standards after it was reported Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was accused of more than 70 offences against eight children aged under two at a Melbourne childcare centre. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The Opposition's formal pledge to fast-track childcare safety measures. The state and federal opposition have vowed to support reforms that help protect children. The charges against Brown have prompted calls for change, with Independent Collective of Survivors founder Louise Edmonds even suggesting men be banned from intimate childcare spaces including nappy changing rooms, sleep quarters and toilets. 'We actually need to do something a little bit more drastic than has been happening in the past,' she said. A petition calling for male workers to be restricted from kindergartens and childcare centres altogether has garnered 811 signatures since it was launched last week. Men make up about 3 per cent of an early childhood education workforce that is short 21,000 staff across Australia. Ramesh Shrestha, co-founder and president of Thriving Educators Aspiring Male Professionals, an association that represents men in the childhood sector, said 'male educators are going through an existential crisis' and nine in 10 felt unsupported by industry leaders or their employer. 'Hard-working, ethical male educators stand by stronger child safety standards and screening,' Shrestha told 'Depending on what qualifications (Cert III to a bachelors degree), it can take six months to four years (to be trained). 'Add decades of experience, passion and hard work, people fail to realise that this is more than a job for dedicated male educators. 'To get (public) support would mean that they are still seen, what they are doing matters, (that) there's still hope for them in the sector, and they get to keep doing what they are passionate about — educating the future generations.' Ban is 'discrimination' On Friday, private provider Inspire Early Learning Journey announced male educators would no longer change nappies or be assigned to toilet duties at its 16 Victorian centres. Brown did not work at any of Inspire's locations. Shrestha, who also trains early childhood educators, said child safety was paramount but felt the ban was 'discrimination'. 'The practical implications — I don't think they have thought about that fully because that means extra workload on female staff,' he told 'When we do that, what are we teaching children? It's going back to old gender norms. 'It's not where we want to go. It's important no roles are related to gender — anyone can be a doctor, a firefighter, a police officer.' Child safety expert and former child abuse detective Kristi McVee said Inspire Early Learning Journey's ban was a band-aid 'to the actual problem of the lack of supervision in early childhood education'. 'They're making it a gendered issue versus the fact that there are predators in both genders,' McVee told 7NEWS. Shrestha said the stigma around males in the industry — including the 'side-eyes from colleagues and parents' — had left many thinking about a career switch. 'The early childhood sector is one of inclusion and support and discrimination against children and educators is not in the best interest of children,' Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) vice president Nesha Hutchinson told Hutchinson said parents are incredibly upset by the allegations against Brown, 'and they deserve to be'. 'As a sector, we need to be better,' she said. The federal government does not believe a gender ban is the solution to better safety. Hutchinson said the ACA was keen to see a nationalised working with vulnerable people check system because 'no state talks with each other' at the moment, and a national employment register. Speaking generally, federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said 'there are loopholes in the system which allow predators to prey on children and it is just so horrific'. Federal education minister Jason Clare has promised legislation that will cut subsidy funding to centres 'that aren't up to scratch'. Operators that persistently fail to meet minimum standards would also be prevented from opening new centres. The Victorian opposition has called for an independent regulator so 'there is someone looking into this sector every single day'. The Victorian government will consider making CCTV mandatory as part of a review. Shrestha said he supported the use of cameras and restrictions on staff carrying mobile devices, said there was a need for better worker-children ratios, and called for tougher screening for employees.
