Warnings on Child Safety System Ignored Before Abuse Scandal Erupted

Calls to fix child safety checks went unanswered—now families are demanding answers.

Victoria ignored warnings to fix child safety checks before abuse allegations emerged at a Melbourne childcare centre. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

As public anger mounts over child abuse allegations at a Melbourne childcare centre, the Victorian Labor government is facing renewed scrutiny for failing to act on long-standing flaws in the state’s Working With Children Check (WWCC) system.

In 2022, the Ombudsman urged the government to strengthen the scheme, recommending legislative changes that would allow authorities to suspend or revoke WWCCs based on risk assessments, even in cases without criminal charges.

The Labor government never implemented the reforms, according to a statement from the state Liberal Party.

A year later, the Department of Justice disclosed a catastrophic system failure: status updates for around 157,000 WWCC applicants were never communicated to the organisations that employed them.

Among those, 69 individuals had already been barred from child-related work, yet their bans were not disclosed. It remains unclear whether all of them were removed from relevant roles.

“Despite repeated demands, the government has not confirmed if the technical fault has been resolved,” the Opposition’s statement said.

Victoria’s Commissioner for Children and Young People said the authorities had “failed to protect the most vulnerable children from sexual predators,” pointing to a 69.41 percent jump in child sexual offences over the past year, and a 228.72 percent increase over the past decade.

Opposition Calls Failure ‘Unforgivable’

The Victorian Opposition accused Labor of ignoring systemic risks and putting children in harm’s way.

“This failure has left Victoria behind other jurisdictions and has placed children at heightened risk,” it said in a statement.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin and education spokesperson Jess Wilson wrote to Premier Jacinta Allan, calling for parliament to be recalled to expedite new safety laws.

They also criticised the government for its delay in alerting families.

“Ministers from Commonwealth and State Governments knew of the alleged offending at least five days before telling the community,” they said.

“This situation is every parent’s worst nightmare, and it is clear the Allan Labor Government has failed in its duty to do all it can to ensure the safety of children in childcare settings.”

Greens Push For National Watchdog

The Australian Greens are once again calling for a national, independent Early Childhood Commission to oversee the sector, arguing that the safety measures recently announced by state and federal governments fall short.

Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May said her party would renew its push for the $1.5 billion commission when federal parliament resumes in late July.

“Parents deserve confidence that their children are safe and receiving high-quality care,” she said.

“An independent watchdog would enforce standards, act quickly on safety breaches, and lead systemic reform—not just provide retrospective fixes.”m

Parent advocacy group The Parenthood has already floated the idea of a petition backing the establishment of a national Early Childhood Commission.

CEO Georgie Dent said the lack of consistent, enforceable standards across services was unacceptable.

“Right now, there’s no clear way to ensure early learning services across Australia meet minimum safety and quality standards,” she said.

Federal Government Signals Wider Reforms

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil acknowledged the emotional toll the case has taken on Victorian families.

“We have got parents around Melbourne at the moment who are having to have conversations with their children, young children, that no parent should have,” she said.

O’Neil stressed that while childcare affordability remains a key national priority, it must not come at the expense of safety.

She also indicated support for broader reforms, including tighter WWCC rules and the creation of a national childcare worker register.

“When I saw the reporting of this, my first reaction was not as a parliamentarian—it was as a parent,” she said.