National ban on failed Working With Children Checks agreed by states

States and territories have agreed to close a dangerous loophole that lets child predators ‘shop around’ for Working With Children Checks across different jurisdictions.

States and territories have agreed to ensure anyone who fails a working with children check will not be able to get clearance anywhere in the country as part of a plan to protect kids from predators.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland on Friday announced all jurisdictions had agreed to deliver “ambitious reforms” to address “systemic gaps” in the Working With Children Checks (WWCC) regime.

Ms Rowland said reforms that will ensure people who fail a check in one state are then banned in all others would be implemented by the end of this year.”

There is a firm commitment from all states and territories to pull out all stops, and we are working together as a team,” she said.

Ms Rowland said states and territories had also agreed to stronger information sharing to ensure that criminal history was captured and shared in near real time.

“This will be known as the National Continuous Checking Capability and it will be established by the Commonwealth,” she said.

Ms Rowland said her counterparts had agreed to “strengthen the criteria used across the country when assessing who can get” a WWCC.

“These three important outcomes will help to deliver a significant uplift to the Working With Children Check regime right across Australia,” she said.

“It is notable that nefarious individuals have been shopping around the Working With Children Check system and exploiting loopholes,” she said.

Ms Rowland said they were “complex reforms” that won’t be delivered overnight, but showed governmetns were serious about keeping children safe.

“Importantly, the measures agreed today would deliver near-term improvements to the Working With Children Check regime and establish concrete milestones to progress important national reforms,” she said.

General Michelle Rowland will seek agreement from her state and territory counterparts on when they meet on Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms Rowland made child safety a top priority for her first Standing Council of Attorneys-General, specifically focusing on steps that pave the way for a national WWCC system.

Last month, News Corp launched the “Keep Them Safe’ campaign to establish a national, public register of WWCCs, catching offenders who move across various jurisdictions to hide under the radar.

Earlier his week, it was also revealed Ms Rowland would seek states’ agreement on working to establish continuous monitoring and national information sharing about WWCC holder and applicants, such as if there is a change to someone’s criminal history.

At the meeting she would discuss working to create “mutual recognition” of WWCCs, underpinned by stronger risk and exclusion criteria that are more consistent across the country.

“My number one priority is keeping young Australians safe,” Ms Rowland said.

“Nothing is more important than that.”

Ms Rowland said the Albanese Government was committed to working together with states and territories to use every tool their disposal to address the issue.

“The Commonwealth is taking a leadership role to strengthen Working with Children Checks so that parents and the community can be confident their children are safe in all settings,” she said.

“There are too many horrific cases of child sexual abuse, and I look forward to working with my counterparts to help stamp out this sickening conduct and strengthen child safety in Australia.”

Last month, News Corp launched the Keep Them Safe campaign to establish a national, public register of WWCCs, catching offenders who move across various jurisdictions to hide under the radar. Picture: Generic

Holding a clearance is mandatory for any adult in child-related work – paid or unpaid – in every state and territory.

It’s referred to as a WWCC in Victoria, NSW and South Australia, a blue card in Queensland, an ochre card in the NT and a working with vulnerable people check in the ACT.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended a national WWCC scheme in 2018, but this has not been actioned.

Recent allegations of abuse in childcare centres have raised awareness of the loopholes in the current system, with experts hoping a strengthened and national scheme with continuous monitoring to ensure up-to-date information about clearance holders will better project children.

The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT branch has joined growing calls for a national WWCC register, as well as more safety training for childcare providers.

“It is clear both the early childhood education and care sector and the out-of-school-hours sector need urgent change to rebuild a strong child safety culture,” said branch secretary Carol Matthews.