Day for Daniel 2024: Aussies join Bruce and Denise Morcombe’s fight for child safety
Day for Daniel is Denise Morcombe’s favourite day of the year and a visit from her 93-year-old dad made the 20th annual event event more special. VIDEOS, PHOTOS
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When the first Walk for Daniel was held on the Sunshine Coast in 2005, about 90 people joined Bruce and Denise Morcombe and sons Bradley and Dean.
This year, an estimated 2 million Australians will take part in Day for Daniel activities across Australia as the legacy of the teenage boy who never made it home continues.
At Woombye, just near where Daniel was abducted on December 7, 2003, a banner once used to raise awareness for the desperate search for the 13-year-old was the focal point of the start of the 20th Day for Daniel.
The banner that participants walked through was once the outer skin of a hot-air balloon.
“That was back in the frantic search days where it would silently drift in the wind above the Noosa hinterland between 2004 and 2007,” Bruce Morcombe points out.
Looking out into a supportive sea of red shirts and smiling faces before the walk started – Denise Morcombe welcomed the crowd to celebrate the legacy of her son.
“Happy 20th walk for Daniel,” she said.
“It’s my favourite day of the year. “We always call it our grand final.”
In a special moment Mrs Morcombe’s 93-year-old father made the trip from Melbourne.
Qld Opposition leader David Crisafulli and his federal counterpart Peter Dutton were also in attendance.
“Our consistent messages over the last two decades has amplified the voices of victims of child sexual abuse,” Mrs Morcombe said.
“Our message is a very simple one – if someone is harming you now or has harmed you in the past please speak out. You will be believed and you will be cared for.
“This is our son’s legacy – making a profound difference.”
Since day one, while navigating their grief and distress, the Morcombes pledged to provide free resources to every parent, teacher and police officer across Australia.
“And today as part of that commitment we are excited to launch a new book,” Mrs Morcombe said.
“It’s an online book called Wobbly Jelly. Jelly is a cat who when he gets frightened gets wobbly knees. It’s for three to six year olds and has the key child safety messages. Bruce is the narrator as well.”
As thousands gathered to pay tribute to Daniel and continue his legacy – Mr Morcombe told the harrowing story of his abduction.
“That spot (where he was abducted) is barely 100 metres from where we are standing today,” he said.
“Visually walk for Daniel makes a very powerful statement and that is that crimes against children have no place in a modern Australia.
“Symbolically we all walk 13-year-old Daniel home to Palmwoods. A trip he was unable to complete.”
Bruce and Denise have tirelessly travelled Australia, visiting schools and creating education resources to teach children the lessons that might just save their lives.
Across Australia about 8500 schools, early learning centres and workplaces will take part in Day for Daniel, wearing red – the colour of the T-shirt Daniel wore to catch a bus to a local shopping centre to buy Christmas gifts for his family.
“From its creation with very modest support, now 20 years later, we estimate that some two million Aussies will be participating,” Denise Morcombe says, proudly.
“Day for Daniel is our son’s legacy at work.”
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It took take eight long years, and a meticulously planned and executed covert operation – requiring the co-operation of police from three Australian states – before predator Brett Peter Cowan was finally brought to justice.
The day after news of Cowan’s arrest broke Bruce and Denise vowed to ensure Daniel’s legacy would be a safer Australia for children.
Since 2014, the Morcombe family have advocated for the development of a publicly accessible sex offender register in Australia – referred to as Daniel’s Law.
The LNP has committed to bringing in Daniel’s Law in Queensland.
It will includes a publicly available website with photographs and personal details of reportable offenders, who have failed to comply with their reporting obligations or provided false or misleading information to police.
Tier two would include an application-based system to identify high-risk offenders living in a local area. Queenslanders will be able to apply for a photograph of an offender, so they know what they look like and can be more vigilant of risks.
The third tier includes a Community Protection Disclosure Scheme. Parents or guardians will be able inquire about a specific person who has regular unsupervised contact with their child, so they know if their child is being exposed to dangerous offenders.
Mr Morcombe said the register would particularly assist single mothers who are most at risk when looking for a relationship online.
“Brett [Cowan] was married and she had no idea about his previous offending – he was convicted twice – and went to jail for very violent crimes against kids,’’ he points out.
The Morcombes want Daniel’s Law introduced across Australia, calling on state and territory premiers to have the courage to put kids’ safety first.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has backed the push.
Mr Morcombe said this year’s Day for Daniel was a time to reflect on the past two decades.
“For 20 years the Daniel Morcombe Foundation has cut through the barriers and done what others thought complicated and difficult,” he said.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank Australia for never forgetting Daniel.
“Here’s to another 20 years of unwavering dedication and advocating for children.”
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Originally published as Day for Daniel 2024: Aussies join Bruce and Denise Morcombe’s fight for child safety
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