Mason Lee report into child safety officers still not released

A review into whether child safety officers should be punished for failing toddler Mason Lee is complete, but no outcome is decided.

Over six months since it launched a review into whether the public servants who failed Mason Jet Lee should be disciplined, the Public Service Commission still hasn’t finalised any potential punishment.

And it’s refused to say whether external consultants were engaged to conduct the review, which has already wrapped up.

Mason Jet Lee

The Courier-Mail can reveal that despite its disciplinary review into the failings of a group of child safety officers meant to be protecting toddler Mason having finished, the process remains ongoing.

The commission said an update would be provided once any resulting actions had been finalised.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage,” it said.

Damning findings released in June 2020 revealed 21 public servants had failed the 21-month-old in “nearly every way possible”.

At the time, commission chief executive Robert Setter said while employees who had left the public service could not be disciplined, their actions would be part of the review.

He said there was an option to record a discipline sanction on their file.

None of the 21 staff were sacked, while three resigned.

Opposition child protection spokeswoman Amanda Camm said the commission’s review was crucial and the “secrecy” surrounding it must end.

She said Queenslanders deserved to know what actions were being taken to ensure children were protected.

Minister for Children and Youth Justice Leanne Linard

Children Minister Leanne Linard said Mason’s death was a tragedy.

“The child protection system in Queensland has been significantly improved as a result of the lessons learned from his awful death,” she said.

“In 2017, an extra $200 million was allocated to further strengthen the child protection system and three reviews were completed: Systems and Practice Review; Child Death Review Panel; and Queensland Family and Child Commission.

“In June this year, the findings of the coronial inquest into Mason’s death were delivered, including six recommendations.

“All recommendations from those earlier reviews and Coronial report were accepted by the Government and are completed or in train.

“Above and beyond all else, when it comes to tragic cases such as this, our main concern is about putting children first and politics last.”