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Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, today joined Attorney-General, Sonya Kilkenny and Minister for Children, Lizzie Blandthorn to introduce new laws to immediately suspend Working with Children Checks (WWCC) while they are under re-assessment.
The Premier said Members of Parliament won’t be leaving Parliament this week until the Bill is passed.
“Child safety comes first – that’s why I’m implementing a child safety overhaul,” she said.
“Parliament will sit for as long as it takes to get this Bill passed – no one’s leaving until it’s done.”
Key changes to the system with the Bill include:
- Ensuring that anyone banned from child-related work interstate will be banned in Victoria;
- Requiring a WWCC clearance to be immediately suspended while it is under re-assessment for intended revocation, with no exceptions;
- Allowing a WWCC clearance to be cancelled if it was obtained using false or misleading information, or if the individual is prohibited from applying for a clearance – this will protect children from those who try to deceive the system;
- Extending the time limits for laying charges where false information has been provided to obtain a WWCC clearance from 12 months, to 5 years and 6 months.
The new laws will come into effect as soon as the Bill is passed by the Parliament and receives Royal Assent.
“The reformed Victorian Working with Children Check scheme will ensure greater information sharing and transparency so we can take immediate action to protect Victorian children,” said Ms Kilkenny.
Work is also underway on significant reforms to be introduced to Parliament in October. These will address the remaining recommendations of the independent Rapid Child Safety Review, including:
- Establishing a new, nation-leading regulator that will more than double the frequency of compliance checks;
- Beefing up the Social Services Regulator by bringing the WWCC scheme, the Reportable Conduct Scheme and Child Safe Standards under the one roof by the end of the year – giving it new powers, removing silos and weeding out predators from working with children, those with disability and in out of home care;
- Introducing mandatory child safety training and expanding professional support programs, including through changes to the National Law, to build a culture of speaking up.
“Children deserve to be safe wherever they learn, play and grow – that’s why we’re strengthening the laws that stop people who pose a risk from working with them,” said Minister for Children, Lizzie Blandthorn.
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