Childcare worker’s 1623 child abuse charges spark calls for change

Politicians will be called to an “immediate meeting” after a former childcare worker was charged with 1623 child abuse offences over a 15-year period.

The NSW government will immediately call for a national response to strengthen child protection laws after a former childcare worker was charged with 1623 child abuse offences on Monday.

Police allege the 45-year-old Gold Coast man sexually assaulted 87 pre-pubescent girls in Australia and four children overseas over a 15-year period. They say the 136 counts of rape took place at 10 Brisbane childcare centres, plus one in Sydney and an overseas location.

In response to the horrific alleged charges, NSW Education and Early Leaning Minister Prue Car will call for an “immediate meeting of federal and state ministers to demand progress” to strengthen protections.

During question time on Wednesday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said Ms Car was already in discussions with interstate and national jurisdictions to establish more stringent “safe and transparent data sharing across borders and across agencies”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted NSW to lead national reform. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Simon Bullard.

Education and Early Minister Prue Car wants to strengthen laws and processes to identify ‘red flags’ in instances of child abuse. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Christian Gilles

Ms Car will also be tasked with reviewing oversights to tighten measures to spot “red flags” before the information is shared with other state and territory jurisdictions and relevant agencies.

“I want NSW to lead in this important area of national reform,” he said.

“We will apply this to the early childhood sector and of course the school sector as well.”

This follows mounting calls to reform processes around working with children checks after AFP Assistant Commissioner Cyber Command Justine Gough said the man had all relevant checks to work with children.

Speaking to Today on Wednesday, Nationals senator Matt Canavan asked why the “vile” and “evil” alleged offences hadn’t been stopped.

“How was this allowed to happen? There were some reports of this individual’s behaviour which police investigated,” Mr Canavan said.

“There has to be a proper inquiry about how information was shared and why this could not have been stopped earlier.

“How can we make sure that this kind of thing doesn‘t happen again.”

NSW Police Force Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said the charges the man faced carried life imprisonment if convicted

AFP Assistant Commissioner Cyber Command Justine Gough revealed the alleged offending on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Canavan told Today host Karl Stefanovic on Wednesday that those penalties perhaps weren’t enough to deter people.

“Maybe we do need a debate about should there be a death penalty for these type of offences,” he said.

“The would only be restricted … There has to be in my mind something even stronger than life imprisonment.”

Blue Knot Foundation president Cathy Kezelman said it “boggles the mind” that the alleged offences spanned 15 years.

“The clandestine nature of crimes against children (allegedly committed) by a person working in childcare shows how insidious these activities can be,” she said.

“They also show the need for us as a community to be alert to the possible grooming of children.

“It is critical for all the children identified to have been impacted and their families to receive the support they need as soon as possible.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan said penalties perhaps weren’t enough to deter people. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“And, in an ongoing way to allow them to rebuild their shattered lives.”

New details have slowly emerged about the alleged offending following a press conference on Tuesday by the AFP, Queensland and NSW Police.

The Daily Telegraph reported the distinctive bedsheet designs on childcare centre beds had been key to leading police to the man.

The set of bed sheets were traced back to a specific manufacturer who supplied bedding to childcare centres in Queensland.

The man was originally arrested in August 2022 before an examination of his electronic devices allegedly revealed 4000 child abuse images.

A forensic review of those images led police to the almost 100 alleged victims who were systematically contacted by police.

Officers told the media they were confident they had identified all but the overseas victims, and that no further charges would be laid.

The man was also allegedly subject to an earlier 2021 investigation by Queensland Police about images shared on the dark web in 2013-14.

Queensland Police performed an internal review following the man’s August 2022 arrest and found they had insufficient evidence in 2021.

Convicted Adelaide paedophile Shannon McCoole.

The Courier Mail reported that photos and videos allegedly made by the man had been found on a notorious dark web website.

The Queensland paper reported the vile alleged content had been found on The Love Zone, a prolific global child abuse network.

The dark web network, where users disseminated child abuse material, was run by convicted Adelaide paedophile Shannon McCoole.

McCoole is serving 35 years in prison for child sexual abuse conducted between January 2011 and June 2014.

Ms Gough described the alleged offences as “chilling news” for families, carers, and the community.

She said investigators were confident there was not any further allegations of offending during the man’s time working at other childcare centres.

All the alleged offences involved pre-pubescent girls.

The man will appear before a Brisbane court later this month.

The AFP urges anyone who needs support to visit the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation website for a full list of support services and contact details.

Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report to ACCCE.

If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on triple-0.