The Coalition is urging state and territory governments to agree at tomorrow’s Education Ministers Meeting to an urgent uptake of measures that will truly shift the dial in improving child safety.
On the day Federal measures passed the Parliament to improve compliance in childcare centres, the Coalition urged the Albanese Government to establish a national approach to Working with Children Checks, a national register of workers and a personal mobile phone ban for childcare workers.
Shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning, Senator Jonno Duniam, said that the public expects all levels of government to implement these long-promised changes without delay and find consistency when it comes to measures like the rollout of CCTV.
“There must be immediate, consistent reforms at tomorrow’s Education Ministers Meeting to ensure child safety so parents can have confidence that their children are safer,” Senator Duniam said.
“The Albanese Government must take up a leadership role in pushing the states and territories to implement reforms, and there must be no delay in their uptake. Bureaucratic hurdles are no excuses for parents who expect safer childcare centres immediately, not by the end of the year or after.”
“Every opportunity to shift the dial should be on the table. This includes considering targets in the extended preschool reform agreement.”
“A national register of childcare workers should have been implemented already, and there must be consistency in the implementation of personal phone bans. South Australia is imposing $50,000 penalties for non-compliance to the new code. We want to see all states and territories follow suit.”
“CCTV in childcare services is deterrent to stop people from doing the wrong thing in childcare centres, while providing certainty and security for parents. A consistent approach from states and territories must be adopted.”
Shadow Assistant Minister for Education and Early Learning Zoe McKenzie MP said the Albanese Government must lead real change.
“Families can’t afford more delays. Now that the Victorian Rapid Child Safety Review has been completed, tomorrow’s Education Ministers Meeting is the moment for the Federal Government to lead and ensure child safety reforms are rolled out nationwide.”