Opposition backs childcare reforms laws after horror charges laid against workers

The Coalition has thrown its support behind Labor's childcare reforms following a series of shocking alleged incidents at Australian daycare centres.

The federal Coalition will back reforms to childcare, in laws introduced by the government in the wake of a series of shocking alleged incidents at day care centres.

The Coalition announced it would provide bipartisan support to the Labor government at a press conference on Tuesday.

“We are calling on the government to act with haste to improve our broken childcare system,” opposition education spokesman Jonathon Duniam said.

Shortly after Mr Duniam spoke to media alongside Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, the childcare reform bill passed the lower house. With the Coalition’s guaranteed support, the bill can pass the senate this week.

The reforms were expedited after Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with more than 70 offences including sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16 and possessing child abuse material. He has yet to enter pleas to the charges.

Opposition education spokesman Jonathon Duniam says he is baffled by some gaps in childcare regulation. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Brown’s case was made public on July 1 after a suppression order was lifted, with police alleging Mr Brown abused eight children between the ages of five months and two years old.

Since then, police have established Brown worked at 23 childcare centres across Melbourne between January 2017 and May 2025. Parents and carers of 2000 children have been urged to get their kids tested for sexually transmitted infections.

On July 15, Victoria Police said establishing Mr Brown’s work history had been “extremely complex” due to childcare providers not having centralised records.

The force said the investigation remained “ongoing” and “active”, and expected to release further updates in the coming weeks.

Labor’s bill proposes to strip childcare centres of federal funding if they cannot guarantee child safety.

Allegations against Joshua Brown have rocked parents across Victoria. Picture Supplied

The bill’s introduction was brought forward in the wake of the allegations against Mr Brown.

“We cannot just say it’s a matter for state and territory governments,” Mr Duniam said on Tuesday.

Mr Duniam was “baffled” there was no nationally co-ordinated working with children check system.

The Coalition also backed a national register of childcare teachers, just like with school teachers.

“There’s a range of measures there that need to be dealt with. And again, our message to the government is: Please, hurry up,” Mr Duniam said.

“Parents need it, children need it. We owe it to them. This is not a blame game. Let’s get on and fix the mess, and we will stand with you in doing so.”

Introduced last week, the reform bill would give the commonwealth government power to cut off funding to child care centres which do not meet the National Quality Standards for safety and quality.

Centres which put kids at risk are in danger of having their funding totally cut. Any illegal activity would also be grounds to lose public funding.

Government staff will also be given the power to do unannounced spot-checks.

Education ministers will meet in August to discuss a national register of early childhood educators. The state, territory and federal Attorney-Generals will also discuss working with children check reforms, at their meeting next month.

Originally published as Opposition backs childcare reforms laws after horror charges laid against workers