Queensland election 2017: Child porn offender worked in Shannon Fentiman’s electorate office

CHILD Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman says she was “horrified” to discover one of her electoral officers had a criminal record for child pornography. Images in his possession had been described as being “as offensive as it gets”.

Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman speaking at Queensland Parliament today about the former assistant administrative officer with a criminal record employed in her electorate office. Picture: AAP/Tracey Nearmy

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CHILD Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman said she was “shocked” and “horrified” to discover one of her electoral officers had a criminal record for child pornography.

She was responding after The Courier-Mail today revealed a man convicted of multiple child pornography offences had been employed by her electorate office.

Hayden Joel Schofield pleaded guilty in December 2011 to three charges related to accessing and possessing child exploitation images.

The court was told he accessed 61 images and kept 51 of them, with some being in the worst category and “as offensive as it gets”.

The man was employed by the Queensland Parliament which did not conduct criminal checks, Ms Fentiman said, but added that the policy has since been changed and background checks are now undertaken.

“I received advice on the 28th of October from the clerk of the parliament that this officer had an undisclosed criminal history on the undertaking I took this information confidentially,” Ms Fentiman said today.

“I had absolutely no knowledge of this and was completely shocked and horrified like everyone else.

“I sought the staff member’s resignation that day.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today said she didn’t know electoral office staff did not have background checks before working for MPs.

Speaking in Manly this morning, Ms Palaszczuk said Parliament Clerk Neil Laurie will now vet all electoral staff employed under him.

Ms Palaszczuk said the revelations by The Courier-Mail this morning were greatly concerning.

“That is a matter for the Clerk and I understand the Clerk has now instituted criminal history checks for the employment of all electorate staff,” she said.

“Electorate staff are employed by the Clerk of the Parliament.

“No one wants to see that happening in any work place so now the Clerk of the Parliament has taken strict actin..”

Clerk of the Parliament Neil Laurie became aware of the convictions three weeks ago, on October 28 — the day before Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called the election.

Mr Laurie immediately questioned Mr Schofield, who then resigned from Ms Fentiman’s electorate office.

Ms Fentiman last night said in a statement: “The individual was employed as an assistant electorate officer in my electorate office for less than a month.

“I received information about this person from the Clerk of the Parliament, and as a result his employment immediately ended.

“This information was not previously disclosed to myself or the Queensland Parliament as the employer. At no time did this individual have access to, or involvement in, any ministerial portfolio matters including child safety.”

Ms Fentiman today said: “What this shows is a significant gap in the policies and procedures of the Queensland parliament and I am pleased the clerk has made changes to HR policies to require criminal checks.

“We need to make sure these checks are done, it effects every politician.”

Justice Jean Dalton gave Mr Schofield a suspended 15-month prison sentence with a warning he would go to jail if he reoffended.

“It is not a victimless crime,” Justice Dalton said.

Schofield is listed online as having worked with a former federal Labor candidate. His name is also associated with an organisation devoted to increasing participation in the party.

A close family member of Schofield worked for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Ms Trad thanked the family member in her maiden speech to parliament in 2012.

Two of the charges were Commonwealth offences of using a carriage service to access child pornography.

The third charge was a state offence of possessing child exploitation material. One of the charges had a maximum 15-year sentence.

At sentencing, Justice Dalton said the cases involved “a significant number of images over a significant period of time, being June 2009 to April 2010”.

Schofield was sentenced to imprisonment for 15 months on one charge and 12 months on each of the other two charges. He was placed on two years’ probation and three years’ good behaviour.

“You’re a young man. You have got a promising future and you have been shown leniency today,” Justice Dalton said at sentencing.