The Coalition is urging the Federal Government to act quicker to implement a national Working with Children Check system with the states and territories.
Today’s state and territory Attorneys-General meeting will consider nationalising a check system. However, the Federal Attorney-General has already conceded this morning that it might take 12 months before any changes are realised.
Shadow Attorney-General and Minister for the Arts Julian Leeser slammed the Albanese government for its drowsy and disinterested approach.
“This just doesn’t pass the pub test,” Mr Leeser said.
“We are talking about massive systemic failures that allowed children to be abused by the very people who were meant to care for them. Asking mums and dads to wait for a year just doesn’t meet community expectations.”
Mr Leeser noted that this has been a national issue since June.
“For months now, Michelle Rowland and Jason Clare have been saying that this is urgent. To find out today that mums and dads might need to wait for a whole year before we event start fixing this problem is a slap in the face.”
“We haven’t played politics on this. We’ve worked with the Government and passed new laws. But the reality is parents need to know their children are safe, and they need those assurances now.”
Shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning Jonno Duniam said that this is far too long to wait and that community expects governments on all levels to act quicker.
“There is no time to waste to put stronger measures in place to protect children in child care. 12 months is far too long. We need a resolution faster so that parents can regain confidence when they put their children in care,” Senator Duniam said.
“We have worked with the Government to implement changes at a Federal level, but we said that it is not the end of the story, but the beginning. The real changes that need to be made are at a state and territory level to make a nationally consistent Working with Children Check system, a national register of child care workers, and a real ban on personal mobile phones in care.”
“The onus is on the Federal Government to play a leadership role to get these reforms through as soon as possible. The community is sick of the talk. What we want to see is the Federal Government getting the states and territories to enact changes that will make a real difference.”
“We will lend whatever support is necessary to get the reforms in place as soon as possible. Our children deserve leaders that work together to protect them; that is what the Coalition is offering.”