Jacinta Allan defends controversial Jay Weatherill appointment to lead childcare inquiry

Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has doubled down on the controversial appointment of ex-SA Labor premier Jay Weatherill to lead the state’s childcare inquiry.

Former South Australia premier Jay Weatherill faced calls to resign and was forced to apologise ­following a damning royal commission into a child protection system in “disarray” in SA.

Jacinta Allan has backed the controversial appointment of former South Australian Labor premier Jay Weatherill to lead the inquiry into Victoria’s childcare sector — despite a damning response to the failed system in SA under his watch.

On Friday the Victorian premier said he was the best person for the role due to his knowledge of where the system had failed before.

“As someone who has dedicated his working life to the support and safety of education of children and young people, Jay Weatherill is the best person for this work,” she said.

“He is the best person to lead this work, he brings a huge amount of experience to this work, a huge personal commitment to this work and that is why he is the best person to lead this review.

“He knows the questions to ask, he has seen where the system hasn’t supported children, he can see where vulnerabilities have lay in the past.”

Former SA Premier Jay Weatherill has been hand-picked to lead an inquiry into Victoria’s childcare system Picture: Sarah Reed

It comes as his appointment was met with significant backlash after he was forced to apologise following a damning royal commission into the child protection system in his own state.

The SA inquiry was sparked by the arrest of pedophile carer Shannon McCoole, who abused seven children – boys and girls aged 18 months to three – and was the ringleader of the largest online child-abuse forum in the world at the time.

Former South Australia premier Jay Weatherill faced calls to resign and was forced to apologise following a damning royal commission

The royal commission found the child protection system was in ‘disarray’ in SA.

This included McCoole being cleared to work after an initial investigation into inappropriate behaviour involving a female toddler.

Former neighbours star and child sexual abuse survivor Madeleine West told the Herald Sun she did not believe that Mr Weatherill, with his history and as a former public servant, was the appropriate person to run the investigation.

“It’s like asking a house painter to recreate the Mona Lisa,” she said.

“You may be familiar with paints and where they should go but that doesn’t mean that you are capable of crafting the ideal protocols to keep kids safe.

“We need someone who has deep, consistent knowledge and an excellent track record, who understands this issue intimately.”

Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Janise Mitchell said the decision to appoint Mr Weatherill and Ms White was “really confusing”.

“What we need is impartiality,” she said.

“The protection of children is the issue.

“Politics has no role to play.”

The Victorian inquiry into the state’s childcare system has been launched after disturbing revelations that childcare worker Joshua Brown had allegedly sexually assaulted multiple children across several Melbourne centres.

Former Neighbours star and child sexual abuse survivor Madeleine West slammed Mr Weatherill’s appointment. Photo: Daily Telegraph Gaye Gerard

Opposition Leader Brad Battin called on Mr Weatherill to “do the right thing” and stand down from the review.

“We can’t believe and we can’t support the fact that Jay Weatherill, a former premier who oversaw some of the biggest crisis in childcare in this country is now overseeing the failures of the Allan Labor government,” he said.

“Jacinta Allan, if she won’t do the right thing, then I’ll say to Jay Wetherhill , you should do the right thing, step down and move away from this.”

Mr Battin, speaking from Queensland after meeting with Liberal Premier David Crisafulli, said Victoria’s childcare review can not look like a “political cover up”.

“Each and every parent must have faith that this is not about politics, it’s about outcomes,” he said.

Ms Mitchell said she was fed up with politicians “buck passing” between portfolios within governments and between federal and state governments.

“This recent case has shaken the community to its core, yet again,” she said.

“The perception of this review not being impartial does nothing to re-build community confidence and that of parents in being able to entrust their children into the care of childcare workers and teachers and other institutions.”

Allegations that childcare worker Joshua Brown sexually assaulted multiple children has sparked the inquiry. Picture: Supplied.,

The leading advocate also called for the review to be expanded to consider all settings in which adults are working with children.

“This is not just a childcare problem,” she said.

“The lessons and recommendations are all in findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.”

Ms Allan said Victorians were “absolutely sickened” by the “horrific” allegations made public this week.

“We just won’t wait in Victoria, it’s why establishing a register here in Victoria of childcare workers is important, it’s why we are moving to ban the use of personal devices in childcare settings and also having an urgent review into what more can be done because we know there is more to be done,” she said.
On Friday the Herald Sun revealed it was harder to complete a Responsible Service of Alcohol and food safety course than it was to obtain a Working with Children’s check.

Currently, any Victorian who does not have a criminal record and can prove their identity can fill out an online form in under 30 minutes – no testing required.
By comparison those hoping to pour beers at the pub were required to complete up to 10 hours of training.
During a tour of LS Precast in Benalla — which will supply more than 96,000 concrete segments to the Suburban Rail Loop project — Ms Allan said a tougher screening process would be introduced.

“From next month (we) will see strengthened worker screening that will see anyone who has been banned from working in particular childcare settings will have their Working with Children’s Check revoked,” she said.

“I strongly support the work that is going to be undertaken at a national level to establish the national Working with Children’s Check.

“The horrific, awful experiences that are being reported on this week, we are seeing these experiences most distressingly in other jurisdictions around the country – it’s why the national framework, national call for action, is so important.”