Thursday, 28 August 2025

Working with children checks

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:34): (1035) My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, a bill was passed this week closing one loophole on working with children checks. An agreement exists to close the loophole whereby anyone whose check has been removed in another jurisdiction will lose their check here in Victoria. But I refer to the need to ensure the safety of children by ensuring that recent overseas arrivals meet the standards expected of local childcare workers too. Therefore I ask: is it a fact, Minister, that overseas criminal history is not checked by the working with children check unit, and consequently it is not known whether a recent arrival employed in child care has a criminal history?

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:35): I again point out to Ms Crozier that in accordance with the general orders the working with children check system is the responsibility of the Attorney-General and the Minister for Government Services.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:35): Minister, I understand that, but you do have a responsibility for children. It is very important that we are looking after the safety of children, so I will ask: anyone travelling from overseas into Australia applying for a visa faces a tick-box process for declaration of criminal history, but this does not include a detailed criminal history check with the country of origin. Have any steps been taken to close this obvious loophole and weaknesses in the working with children checks to guarantee the safety of our children in childcare? It might be something that you have spoken about with the Attorney – I do not know – but I am asking on behalf of children and keeping them safe.

Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:36): While it is great to see that Ms Crozier is present in the chamber at the moment, as I have previously told her and informed this place, the working with children check is the responsibility of the Attorney-General and the Minister for Government Services. Indeed much of Ms Crozier’s question goes to matters of home affairs and immigration, which are the purview of the federal government. But given we have been asked questions that might fall into the responsibility of ASIO today as well, those opposite seem to be very confused, both in terms of Victorian government responsibilities and also between levels of government in this country, and it is very concerning.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:37): I move:

That the minister’s answer be taken into consideration on the next day of meeting.

Motion agreed to.