No red flags raised when alleged childcare abuser applied to work with kids

The screening of a former childcare worker now facing multiple rape charges did not raise any red flags, and all “appropriate steps were taken”, Queensland’s attorney-general says.

Yvette D’Ath told a parliamentary hearing the Blue Card screening process, including a criminal check, did not turn up any concerning information about the man, who is accused of abusing 91 children while working at childcare centres in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas between 2007 and 2022.

Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath says Blue Card checks undertaken on a man accused of abusing 91 children did not return any criminal history.Credit: Matt Dennien

The 45-year-old faces 1623 charges, including 136 counts of rape and 110 counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10.

D’Ath said the Australian Federal Police notified her office about charges of disqualifying offences against the man, and his working-with-children card was suspended on the same day in August.

“I can also advise that previous criminal history checks undertaken by Blue Card Services did not return any criminal history for this person,” she told an estimates hearing on Wednesday.

“Additionally, there was no other relevant concerning information – disciplinary or investigative information – or other allegations or information returned to Blue Card Services in each screening process in relation to that individual, and as such, all appropriate steps were taken in relation to the approvals and consequently the suspension of that card.”

D’Ath said Blue Card background checks went further than regular police screenings.

A national criminal history check looked for any previous charges or convictions for any offence in Australia, regardless of a conviction being recorded.

This included spent convictions, pending and non-conviction charges, child protection, prohibition orders for both respondents and subjects to the application, disqualification orders, and reporting obligations under the child protection offender reporting act or the dangerous prisoners offenders act.

The attorney-general was grilled on the case by the opposition, which wanted to know why the Labor government had implemented only a third of 81 recommendations in a 2017 report calling for the strengthening of Queensland’s Blue Card and foster care systems.

D’Ath said 28 recommendations had been completed, 49 more were in progress, and “substantial milestones have been achieved”.

These included “no Blue Card, no start”, which ensured people couldn’t work with children while they waited for a Blue Card.

“Is it important to understand, with the ones [recommendations] that are in progress ... [they] are generally linked to other agencies, including other jurisdictions, so it may be the department has completed their part but it’s contingent on other work of other agencies for us to completely close off those recommendations,” D’Ath said.

The 2017 review of the Blue Card system was sparked by the death of Logan schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, who was murdered by her foster father, Rick Thorburn, in October 2015.

If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25), 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028.

-AAP