Early childhood education and care
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:59): (968) My question is for the Attorney-General, represented in this place by the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation. In February I asked the Premier to call for a nationally harmonised working with children check that includes mandatory child abuse prevention education. I am yet to receive a response. Five months have now passed, and in that time a childcare worker in Melbourne’s south-west was charged with more than 70 offences against children in his care, including producing child abuse material. Horrifically, this person held a valid working with children check. Evidently this system is broken. The best time it could have been fixed was before the abuse happened. The second-best time is now. So my question is: what is the Attorney-General doing to call for a national reform approach to the working with children check system?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (14:00): I thank Ms Payne for her question and advocacy on this issue. I will make sure that in line with the standing orders that is referred to the Attorney-General in the other place for an appropriate response.
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (14:00): I thank Minister Erdogan for passing that one on. By way of supplementary, in terms of what can be considered during an assessment, Victoria has the most limited working with children checks in the country. I understand there are plans to change this, with the first step taking place in August. Can the Attorney-General advise what other steps are being taken to improve Victoria’s working with children check system?
Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice) (14:01): I thank Ms Payne for that supplementary question, and I will make sure that is passed on to the Attorney-General in the other place for a written response.