Following shocking allegations of sexual abuse at a Melbourne childcare centre, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to work with the Coalition to urgently strengthen child protection laws.
Last week, 26-year-old Joshua Dale Brown was arrested and charged with over 70 offences, including child rape and possession of child abuse material. Brown was employed at the Creative Garden Early Learning centre in Point Cook and had a valid working with children check.
“It made me physically sick,” Ms Ley said during an appearance on Sunrise. “I’ve written to the Prime Minister in good faith offering our full cooperation ahead of Parliament’s return, so we can have legislation ready to go—legislation that every parent and community member expects to keep children safe.”
Ms Ley described the case as an “incredible betrayal” and stressed that bipartisan action was essential to restore public trust. She acknowledged her role in government when the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was launched in 2013 and insisted that both the Coalition and Labor kept the momentum going.
Pressed about whether the Coalition failed to act decisively when the commission’s final report was delivered in 2017, Ley shifted responsibility to the states and territories, noting that many of the reforms require their cooperation.
She singled out Victoria’s working with children system as the weakest in the country and warned that unless states “step up,” children remain vulnerable.
Ley also recognised the limits of federal powers, stating that while the Commonwealth may not control all working with children checks, it can impose safety requirements on childcare providers through funding controls.
Education Minister Jason Clare confirmed last week that the government would introduce legislation to cut federal funds to centres that fail to meet safety standards.
In a disturbing development, Herald Sun revealed over the weekend that a man convicted of accessing nearly 1,000 child abuse images had visited childcare centres while awaiting prosecution for almost three years.
With growing public anger and pressure on both major parties, there are mounting calls for immediate reforms, increased background checks, and a coordinated national strategy to prevent similar atrocities from ever happening again.
