Leader's shock after childcare bombshell
A bombshell Herald Sun report revealed on Sunday that a man convicted of accessing nearly 1000 images of child abuse material visited multiple childcare centres while awaiting prosecution for some three years.
At one centre, he taught children about 'ancient tools such as boomerangs, stones and ochre clay' and 'Aboriginal dance and ochre painting' despite police flagging him as potentially dangerous.
The man, Ron Marks, was allowed to continue working with children because had not been charged.
Mr Littleproud, responding to the report on Sunday, called for 'common sense' changes to child safety in childcare. Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called for 'common sense' to guide changes to child safety in childcare centres. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
'It's frightening, and as a father who sent his children to childcare, you do it in good faith that they're going to be safe,' he told the program.
'I get that we have this principle of presumption of innocence in this country, but we also have this thing called common sense.
'And if someone who's working with children is charged and you're not normally charged unless there's significant evidence, you still have that presumption.
'But you should take the precautionary principle and you shouldn't be allowed to go near children – that's common sense.'
Last week, detectives arrested and charged a 26-year-old Joshua Dale Brown with more than 70 offences, including child rape and possession of child abuse material.
He was a worker at a childcare centre and had a working with children check. Joshua Brown worked at multiple centres across Victoria, the police have revealed. Facebook Credit: Supplied Childcare worker Joshua Brown worked at the Point Cook childcare centre. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
Education Minister Jason Clare has vowed to introduce legislation that would let Canberra cut federal funds to childcare centres that 'aren't up to scratch' on children's safety.
'It has taken too long for governments to act,' he told Seven's Sunrise on Thursday.
'This is sickening and it demands serious action. We've already taken action around mobile phones in childcare centres and mandatory reporting.
'But there's more that we have to do – there's a lot more we have to do.'
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The Advertiser
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Kilby punched and stomped on Mr Anthoney several times, leaving him bleeding and unconscious near the kitchen. "I think I've killed someone," Kilby was heard saying as he ran away from the house. Kilby's cousins told police the long-time drug user had been "off his head" on ice and was acting strange in the days before the murder. Public defender Nicholas Broadbent SC on Monday told the Supreme Court the killing was not an act of vigilantism, as suggested by prosecutors. "The court could not be satisfied Mr Kilby entered the house with the intention of taking the law into his own hands," Mr Broadbent told the court, sitting in Orange. "There was an argument which then escalated. Mr Kilby states that he just lost it." Kilby grew up in a violent home and was exposed to drugs from a young age, going on to develop a "conduct disorder" that led to anti-social behaviour, according to a psychologist's report. While on remand at the Macquarie Correctional Centre in Wellington, Kilby had made personal progress, obtaining engineering qualifications, participating in cultural groups and becoming the jail's Aboriginal delegate. In a handwritten letter to the court, Kilby acknowledged the pain he caused Mr Anthoney's family and his own. "I hope one day I can show that I can be a better man," he wrote. Mr Anthoney's sister Katrina read a brief victim impact statement, saying the killing in "dire" circumstances had shattered their family. "It's a real life tragedy for all involved and such a shocking and senseless death," Ms Anthoney said. "His family are the quiet voices who are saying: our loss is not OK in a civil society." Justice Dina Yehia will sentence Kilby on July 14. Hours after he was seen at a rural RSL club sipping beer, dancing and wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with "stress less", Roger James Kilby viciously beat a man to death. Kilby, 40, has pleaded guilty to murdering Andrew John Anthoney in Peak Hill, central western NSW, on March 11, 2023, nine days after stealing a mobile phone from the victim's house during a drinking session. In the days between the theft and the murder, Kilby told friends he found child abuse material on the phone and accused Mr Anthoney of being a pedophile, according to a statement of facts before the NSW Supreme Court. After being arrested and freed on bail for an unrelated crime on March 11, Kilby went to the Peak Hill RSL, where he was seen drinking, smoking, dancing and singing to himself. He then walked to Mr Anthoney's house to confront him about the images he claimed were on the stolen phone and the pair had an argument. Kilby punched and stomped on Mr Anthoney several times, leaving him bleeding and unconscious near the kitchen. "I think I've killed someone," Kilby was heard saying as he ran away from the house. Kilby's cousins told police the long-time drug user had been "off his head" on ice and was acting strange in the days before the murder. Public defender Nicholas Broadbent SC on Monday told the Supreme Court the killing was not an act of vigilantism, as suggested by prosecutors. "The court could not be satisfied Mr Kilby entered the house with the intention of taking the law into his own hands," Mr Broadbent told the court, sitting in Orange. "There was an argument which then escalated. Mr Kilby states that he just lost it." Kilby grew up in a violent home and was exposed to drugs from a young age, going on to develop a "conduct disorder" that led to anti-social behaviour, according to a psychologist's report. While on remand at the Macquarie Correctional Centre in Wellington, Kilby had made personal progress, obtaining engineering qualifications, participating in cultural groups and becoming the jail's Aboriginal delegate. In a handwritten letter to the court, Kilby acknowledged the pain he caused Mr Anthoney's family and his own. "I hope one day I can show that I can be a better man," he wrote. Mr Anthoney's sister Katrina read a brief victim impact statement, saying the killing in "dire" circumstances had shattered their family. "It's a real life tragedy for all involved and such a shocking and senseless death," Ms Anthoney said. "His family are the quiet voices who are saying: our loss is not OK in a civil society." Justice Dina Yehia will sentence Kilby on July 14. Hours after he was seen at a rural RSL club sipping beer, dancing and wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with "stress less", Roger James Kilby viciously beat a man to death. Kilby, 40, has pleaded guilty to murdering Andrew John Anthoney in Peak Hill, central western NSW, on March 11, 2023, nine days after stealing a mobile phone from the victim's house during a drinking session. In the days between the theft and the murder, Kilby told friends he found child abuse material on the phone and accused Mr Anthoney of being a pedophile, according to a statement of facts before the NSW Supreme Court. After being arrested and freed on bail for an unrelated crime on March 11, Kilby went to the Peak Hill RSL, where he was seen drinking, smoking, dancing and singing to himself. He then walked to Mr Anthoney's house to confront him about the images he claimed were on the stolen phone and the pair had an argument. Kilby punched and stomped on Mr Anthoney several times, leaving him bleeding and unconscious near the kitchen. "I think I've killed someone," Kilby was heard saying as he ran away from the house. Kilby's cousins told police the long-time drug user had been "off his head" on ice and was acting strange in the days before the murder. Public defender Nicholas Broadbent SC on Monday told the Supreme Court the killing was not an act of vigilantism, as suggested by prosecutors. "The court could not be satisfied Mr Kilby entered the house with the intention of taking the law into his own hands," Mr Broadbent told the court, sitting in Orange. "There was an argument which then escalated. Mr Kilby states that he just lost it." Kilby grew up in a violent home and was exposed to drugs from a young age, going on to develop a "conduct disorder" that led to anti-social behaviour, according to a psychologist's report. While on remand at the Macquarie Correctional Centre in Wellington, Kilby had made personal progress, obtaining engineering qualifications, participating in cultural groups and becoming the jail's Aboriginal delegate. In a handwritten letter to the court, Kilby acknowledged the pain he caused Mr Anthoney's family and his own. "I hope one day I can show that I can be a better man," he wrote. 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After being arrested and freed on bail for an unrelated crime on March 11, Kilby went to the Peak Hill RSL, where he was seen drinking, smoking, dancing and singing to himself. He then walked to Mr Anthoney's house to confront him about the images he claimed were on the stolen phone and the pair had an argument. Kilby punched and stomped on Mr Anthoney several times, leaving him bleeding and unconscious near the kitchen. "I think I've killed someone," Kilby was heard saying as he ran away from the house. Kilby's cousins told police the long-time drug user had been "off his head" on ice and was acting strange in the days before the murder. Public defender Nicholas Broadbent SC on Monday told the Supreme Court the killing was not an act of vigilantism, as suggested by prosecutors. "The court could not be satisfied Mr Kilby entered the house with the intention of taking the law into his own hands," Mr Broadbent told the court, sitting in Orange. "There was an argument which then escalated. Mr Kilby states that he just lost it." Kilby grew up in a violent home and was exposed to drugs from a young age, going on to develop a "conduct disorder" that led to anti-social behaviour, according to a psychologist's report. While on remand at the Macquarie Correctional Centre in Wellington, Kilby had made personal progress, obtaining engineering qualifications, participating in cultural groups and becoming the jail's Aboriginal delegate. In a handwritten letter to the court, Kilby acknowledged the pain he caused Mr Anthoney's family and his own. "I hope one day I can show that I can be a better man," he wrote. Mr Anthoney's sister Katrina read a brief victim impact statement, saying the killing in "dire" circumstances had shattered their family. "It's a real life tragedy for all involved and such a shocking and senseless death," Ms Anthoney said. "His family are the quiet voices who are saying: our loss is not OK in a civil society." Justice Dina Yehia will sentence Kilby on July 14.
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews linked to purchase of Crown-owned Capital Golf Club after rejection from multiple elite clubs
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