In Australia's childcare centres profit comes before safety
And then there's the video — just nine seconds long. A defenceless baby, strapped into a bouncer, crying hysterically as a childcare worker slaps her across the face repeatedly for fun. Her colleague films it, laughing, and uploads it to Snapchat.
It's hard to believe it's happening in Australia's childcare centres but it's been going on for years, all in plain sight.
But there are even more heinous crimes.
It took the announcement of a 26-year-old male educator charged with more than 70 counts of child sexual abuse at a Melbourne childcare centre, before people started asking the question: is childcare safe?
For those like me who have been investigating childcare for almost a year now, the news was horrifying but not a surprise.
In Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, at least one report of sexual misconduct is made every day. And that's just what's tracked and reported. In Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, there's no reportable conduct scheme, so we simply don't know.
The Victorian man, Joshua Dale Brown, worked at 20 childcare centres, most of them owned by big private operators including private equity-owned Affinity Education, listed ASX giant G8 Education and United States owned Only About Children.
Scratch the surface, and you find more.
On July 9, a worker from Affinity childcare group is scheduled to face a NSW court charged with nine counts of sexually touching a child.
In March, Quoc Phu Tong, who worked at a Seaforth centre run by Only About Children, was sentenced to two years in prison for the intentional touching of a child.
Then there's Ashley Paul Griffith, a childcare worker sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to a series of offences at early learning centres, mostly in Queensland. His crimes, described as "depraved," included rape and the production of child exploitation material. Griffith's abuse went undetected for years, despite holding a valid Blue Card, due to systemic failures in the child protection systems.
In March I launched a series of investigations into the $20 billion childcare sector, forensically exposing a system in deep crisis.
What was revealed is how for-profit providers, now accounting for 75 per cent of the sector, have fundamentally reshaped the sector.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, on average the big operators pay lower wages, hire more casual and part-time staff, and experience higher educator turnover, than their non profit counterparts.
At the same time, they receive the lion's share of the $14 billion a year of taxpayer money spent on childcare subsidies. These are taxpayer dollars propping up a system where some operators spend as little as $1 a day per child on meals, and where educators are placed under KPIs to boost occupancy and cut costs.
When you follow the money, the priorities are clear. Profit comes first.
Such an obviously stark difference to how we treat primary and secondary education.
Childcare is a vital service for families turned into a money-making machine.
The childcare sector has exploded in scale but the laws and oversight meant to govern it have not kept pace, particularly with the rise of the big for-profit operators, with their deep pockets and lobbyists in tow.
It is also a property play. Children aren't just enrolled, they come with a price tag. They can be worth as much as $350,000 to a centre when you take into account childcare property evaluations, which are calculated based on the number of children the centres are licensed to enrol.
Some ads even say "no experience necessary" for owning a centre.
The brutal reality is Australia's regulatory system is fragmented and reactive, with each state handling complaints differently and no consistent national oversight.
In many cases, regulators are under-resourced and hesitant to use the enforcement powers they do have. Centres with repeated breaches remain open. Serious incidents, including abuse, neglect, and unsupervised children, are often dismissed as "one-offs".
They're absolutely not.
Affinity Education offers a window into how the regulatory system is failing families. Between 2021 and 2024, its NSW centres racked up more than 1,100 regulatory breaches, averaging more than one a day. Yet in that time, the regulator issued just nine infringement notices, totalling less than $2,000 in fines. In previous statements, Affinity has said it takes concerns from families seriously.
Thousands of pages of internal regulatory documents reveal the same problems surfacing again and again: unsafe sleep practices, staff out of ratio, and incomplete records ranging from expired working with children checks to missing staff qualifications and children's medical histories.
In most cases, they are told to do better by the regulator.
Despite this, since December last year, Affinity was allowed to expand — acquiring 13 more centres in NSW.
Then there's the National Quality Standards which are meant to give parents peace of mind, a ratings system or benchmark for safety, care, and education. But they too are broken.
One in 10 centres have never been rated and the others are rated on average every four years, with some as many as nine years, according to ACECQA.
The flaws in the system are there for all to see. A worker shortage due to burnout and low pay, education providers exploiting the situation by offering fast tracked courses and some selling fake qualifications, which all undermines the quality of care.
We've seen review after review. NSW had one and released the findings last week. Now Victoria is scrambling to conduct another. What about the other states? Do we really have to wait for a scandal to break before each state starts paying attention?
Education Minister Jason Clare admitted to Sarah Ferguson on 7.30 that governments and ministers haven't done enough. They have been too slow to act. He is right.
He is finally taking action introducing legislation to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards and working with children checks.
But there are other fixes he can make including the establishment of a national childcare commission, a key recommendation from the Productivity Commission in September 2024. Or an independent review into the National Quality Standards or the performance of its oversight body, ACECQA.
None of this addresses the elephant in the room: the dominance of private operators and the inherent conflict of interest between profit and child welfare. Nor does it tackle the widespread fraud and compliance failures uncovered in the auditor-general's recent report into childcare subsidies, which estimated $2.6 billion has been sucked out in the past five years. But as many know it is the tip of the iceberg.
The sector is riddled with complexity, failure and risk. While there are some good operators and good, passionate educators, it is getting tougher for families to find quality care.
A royal commission or independent inquiry is the only way to truly expose how deep the problems go. The Greens have called for it, alongside educators, parents and some policy experts. But the major parties remain silent.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dismissed the idea, saying a royal commission would "take too long" as the system spirals further into crisis.
It's worth remembering the banking royal commission. The government of the day resisted it too, but in just a year it exposed systemic misconduct, helped restore public trust, and forced long-overdue reforms.
Why do children deserve any less?
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The Advertiser
42 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Families' fearful wait to learn alleged abuser's moves
Authorities have been accused of dropping the ball in their failure to disclose an alleged child abuser's full work history as police dig into his past. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a childcare facility at Point Cook, in Melbourne's southwest. The 26-year-old worked in at least 20 centres since 2017, for which a list and set of dates have already been made public. But Victoria Police said they were continuing to investigate further details of his employment history as a matter of priority after parents reported discrepancies in the listed dates. "We understand that many in the community are feeling concerned and anxious, however it is incredibly important that this information is confirmed, then thoroughly reviewed with other relevant agencies prior to any public release," a police spokeswoman said. Childcare operator Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, is reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. The families of 1200 children have been told to get the infants tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Parents have contacted the Australian Childhood Foundation complaining they're not getting adequate communication from authorities or childcare centre management. "We're dropping the ball," the charity's chief executive Janise Mitchell told AAP. She supported the police investigation but added there needed to be a constant line of communication to the families most closely impacted. "What that loses sight of is the anxiety, the terror, the fear parents are laying awake with every night, wondering where they sit in the unfolding scenario," Ms Mitchell said. "In the absence of communication, fear grows, mistrust grows, and anxiety grows that there's something going on." Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results, with several told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about the need to test for a third. State, territory and federal education ministers are due to meet in August and they will discuss tighter safety measures, including the introduction of CCTV in centres and a national register of childcare workers. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. South Australia is considering cameras and fast-tracking mobile phone bans in childcare centres while Western Australia is conducting a child safety review into facilities there. The Albanese government also plans to fast-track legislation to allow funding to be stripped from centres that don't meet standards, while spot checks will be introduced to limit fraud. But a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks after an inquiry in 2015 issued the recommendation. Brown had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said it was shameful the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime," the now-age discrimination commissioner said. Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Authorities have been accused of dropping the ball in their failure to disclose an alleged child abuser's full work history as police dig into his past. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a childcare facility at Point Cook, in Melbourne's southwest. The 26-year-old worked in at least 20 centres since 2017, for which a list and set of dates have already been made public. But Victoria Police said they were continuing to investigate further details of his employment history as a matter of priority after parents reported discrepancies in the listed dates. "We understand that many in the community are feeling concerned and anxious, however it is incredibly important that this information is confirmed, then thoroughly reviewed with other relevant agencies prior to any public release," a police spokeswoman said. Childcare operator Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, is reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. The families of 1200 children have been told to get the infants tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Parents have contacted the Australian Childhood Foundation complaining they're not getting adequate communication from authorities or childcare centre management. "We're dropping the ball," the charity's chief executive Janise Mitchell told AAP. She supported the police investigation but added there needed to be a constant line of communication to the families most closely impacted. "What that loses sight of is the anxiety, the terror, the fear parents are laying awake with every night, wondering where they sit in the unfolding scenario," Ms Mitchell said. "In the absence of communication, fear grows, mistrust grows, and anxiety grows that there's something going on." Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results, with several told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about the need to test for a third. State, territory and federal education ministers are due to meet in August and they will discuss tighter safety measures, including the introduction of CCTV in centres and a national register of childcare workers. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. South Australia is considering cameras and fast-tracking mobile phone bans in childcare centres while Western Australia is conducting a child safety review into facilities there. The Albanese government also plans to fast-track legislation to allow funding to be stripped from centres that don't meet standards, while spot checks will be introduced to limit fraud. But a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks after an inquiry in 2015 issued the recommendation. Brown had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said it was shameful the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime," the now-age discrimination commissioner said. Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Authorities have been accused of dropping the ball in their failure to disclose an alleged child abuser's full work history as police dig into his past. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a childcare facility at Point Cook, in Melbourne's southwest. The 26-year-old worked in at least 20 centres since 2017, for which a list and set of dates have already been made public. But Victoria Police said they were continuing to investigate further details of his employment history as a matter of priority after parents reported discrepancies in the listed dates. "We understand that many in the community are feeling concerned and anxious, however it is incredibly important that this information is confirmed, then thoroughly reviewed with other relevant agencies prior to any public release," a police spokeswoman said. Childcare operator Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, is reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. The families of 1200 children have been told to get the infants tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Parents have contacted the Australian Childhood Foundation complaining they're not getting adequate communication from authorities or childcare centre management. "We're dropping the ball," the charity's chief executive Janise Mitchell told AAP. She supported the police investigation but added there needed to be a constant line of communication to the families most closely impacted. "What that loses sight of is the anxiety, the terror, the fear parents are laying awake with every night, wondering where they sit in the unfolding scenario," Ms Mitchell said. "In the absence of communication, fear grows, mistrust grows, and anxiety grows that there's something going on." Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results, with several told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about the need to test for a third. State, territory and federal education ministers are due to meet in August and they will discuss tighter safety measures, including the introduction of CCTV in centres and a national register of childcare workers. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. South Australia is considering cameras and fast-tracking mobile phone bans in childcare centres while Western Australia is conducting a child safety review into facilities there. The Albanese government also plans to fast-track legislation to allow funding to be stripped from centres that don't meet standards, while spot checks will be introduced to limit fraud. But a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks after an inquiry in 2015 issued the recommendation. Brown had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said it was shameful the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime," the now-age discrimination commissioner said. Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Authorities have been accused of dropping the ball in their failure to disclose an alleged child abuser's full work history as police dig into his past. Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 sex offences after allegedly abusing eight children aged under two at a childcare facility at Point Cook, in Melbourne's southwest. The 26-year-old worked in at least 20 centres since 2017, for which a list and set of dates have already been made public. But Victoria Police said they were continuing to investigate further details of his employment history as a matter of priority after parents reported discrepancies in the listed dates. "We understand that many in the community are feeling concerned and anxious, however it is incredibly important that this information is confirmed, then thoroughly reviewed with other relevant agencies prior to any public release," a police spokeswoman said. Childcare operator Affinity Education, which operates several facilities where Brown worked, is reviewing its records following reports he might have been employed longer than first thought. The families of 1200 children have been told to get the infants tested for sexually transmitted infections as a precaution. Parents have contacted the Australian Childhood Foundation complaining they're not getting adequate communication from authorities or childcare centre management. "We're dropping the ball," the charity's chief executive Janise Mitchell told AAP. She supported the police investigation but added there needed to be a constant line of communication to the families most closely impacted. "What that loses sight of is the anxiety, the terror, the fear parents are laying awake with every night, wondering where they sit in the unfolding scenario," Ms Mitchell said. "In the absence of communication, fear grows, mistrust grows, and anxiety grows that there's something going on." Families of the children recommended for STI testing are anxiously awaiting results, with several told to get their infants checked twice. They were first told to get their child checked for two diseases and then days later were warned about the need to test for a third. State, territory and federal education ministers are due to meet in August and they will discuss tighter safety measures, including the introduction of CCTV in centres and a national register of childcare workers. NSW has flagged a trial of CCTV cameras in centres, as an urgent Victorian review examines making the technology mandatory. South Australia is considering cameras and fast-tracking mobile phone bans in childcare centres while Western Australia is conducting a child safety review into facilities there. The Albanese government also plans to fast-track legislation to allow funding to be stripped from centres that don't meet standards, while spot checks will be introduced to limit fraud. But a former royal commissioner has slammed governments for dragging their feet on creating a national regime for working with children checks after an inquiry in 2015 issued the recommendation. Brown had a valid working with children check and was not known to police or subject to any complaints before his arrest in May. Robert Fitzgerald, one of five members of the royal commission, said it was shameful the recommendation remained unfulfilled. "Ten years on, that job should have been completed and the fact that it isn't means there are gaps in our child safeguarding regime," the now-age discrimination commissioner said. Every state and territory maintains separate working with children schemes with different rules and requirements. Victoria, Queensland and NSW have all committed to reviewing or tightening up their regimes. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
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Alleged Melbourne childcare pedophile Joshua Brown has worked at a dance studio and karate centre, according to his resume. A Current Affair on Friday reported Mr Brown, 26, previously worked as an 'instructor' at Shindo Karate in Hoppers Crossing from 2013 to 2017, with his resume – exclusively obtained by the network – detailing he taught children during his time there. However, a spokesman for Melbourne's Shindo Karate association told NewsWire that Mr Brown was a student, never an instructor, and never would have been among children without parents and an actual instructor nearby. 'He never played a role in instruction, instructing the kids,' the spokesman said. 'And at no point whatsoever was he ever under lack of supervision; he was a student and there's always been accredited instructors, i.e. police officers, that work in the environment.' 'At no point was he ever left alone with children. At no point (have) children or parents come to us with any concerns.' On the resume, Mr Brown said he has done admin work at youth dance centre Dance Network in Melbourne's southwest since 2019. NewsWire has contacted the centre for comment, and is not suggesting Mr Brown has been accused of wrongdoing while employed at either the dance centre or the dojo. Mr Brown, 26, has been charged with 70 child sex offences after he allegedly abused eight children at a Point Cook childcare centre in southwest Melbourne. It is alleged some children were as young as five months. Parents and caregivers of 1200 children have been directed to get their kids tested for sexually transmitted infections. Police announced the charges on Tuesday, saying they were investigating Mr Brown's employment at 20 Melbourne childcare centres. They also took the unusual step of applying for Mr Brown's name suppression to be lifted, to inform families with children at the affected centres to get their young ones tested. Revelations about Mr Brown's alleged offending, and the number of childcare centres he worked at, have sparked an immediate response from politicians, despite years-old calls for national reform to working with children checks. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said when parliament resumed this month, new laws would be introduced to allow fraud investigators to conduct random, unannounced visits at childcare centres without a warrant, and without the need to be accompanied by police. Separate laws would also allow the federal government, which currently provides $16bn of annual funding to centres, to scrap payments to places which do not meet standards. State and federal education ministers will meet to discuss how CCTV cameras can be best used to monitor childcare centres, and the national attorney-generals will work out better information sharing regimes when they meet in August. Many of these reforms were recommended by the 2015 Royal Commission into Institutionalised Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
