Thursday, 31 July 2025

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Early childhood education and care

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Premier. In 2021 Victoria Police advised the department of justice that Ronald Marks was arrested and under investigation for accessing child sexual abuse material. Despite this warning, Ronald Marks continued to hold a valid working with children check and attended childcare centres and kindergartens for the next four years. Earlier this month, Ronald Marks was convicted of accessing almost 1000 images of child sex abuse material. If the Ombudsman’s recommendations had been adopted three years ago, Ronald Marks’s working with children check could have been rescinded. Why did the government fail to immediately adopt the Ombudsman’s recommendations in 2022, instead leaving this loophole to be exploited and children to be put at risk?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:03): In answering the Leader of the Opposition’s question on that specific case, he refers to matters that date back to 2021, and I am not going to comment on those matters concerning that particular individual. But what I will say, in terms of understanding the system, is that the child safety system does need to be strengthened, which is why in April of this year I directed the Attorney-General and the Minister for Government Services to undertake a review of the working with children check settings, acknowledging that this was work that needed to be done. And as the Premier today, I gave that direction to the minister and the Attorney-General. They have done that work with urgency, which is why this week the Worker Screening Regulations have been strengthened.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the question relates to recommendations by the Ombudsman three years ago, and I would ask you, on relevance, to get the Premier to come back to that question.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Premier is being relevant to the question asked. I cannot dictate to the Premier how to answer the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I was going exactly to the point that was raised by the Leader of the Opposition. It went to recognising as Premier that we did need to strengthen the system, which is why in April I directed the Attorney-General and the Minister for Government Services to undertake urgent work, and that work has resulted this week in the Worker Screening Regulations being strengthened, which does see the capacity for the worker screening unit to be able to revoke a working with children check should there be advice that comes to that unit that an individual has been found by other regulatory agencies to have committed an offence.

Brad BATTIN (Berwick – Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): In relation to the regulations that the Premier has just referred to, will this implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations in full?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:05): In regard to that Ombudsman’s report, I have outlined to the house the work that is already underway to –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: There has already been, and I will step it through. There are three parts –

Members interjecting.

Jacinta ALLAN: The Minister for Children went to this matter a number of weeks ago and outlined that there has been work by her department in responding to the parts of that Ombudsman’s report that needed to be actioned.

Brad Battin: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, in relation to relevance, the question was very simple: will this make sure that the Ombudsman’s recommendations are put in place in full? The answer is either a yes or a no on what they will deliver.

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mordialloc – half an hour.

Member for Mordialloc withdrew from chamber.

Jacinta ALLAN: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, I am endeavouring to answer directly the question put by the Leader of the Opposition. It is impossible to provide that level of detail to the house with the interruptions from the Leader of the Opposition. I would hope there would be the opportunity for me to provide that information, because I know it is important for parents to hear this information.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: On the point of order, the Premier was being relevant in discussing the regulations. I cannot dictate how a minister or Premier responds to a question.

Jacinta ALLAN: I will be brief because of the time that is available. The Minister for Children has worked on the relevant recommendations for her department. We have moved already with the worker screening recommendations that have been implemented this week, and yes, there is more work to be done. We have been clear on that. That is why we have commissioned the urgent review, and we will work very hard when that review is received by government.