Victoria is introducing urgent legislative reforms to strengthen child safety protections by enabling the immediate suspension of Working With Children Checks (WWCCs) for individuals under reassessment for cancellation.
On Tuesday, the Victorian government introduced a bill to Parliament that will:
-
Suspend WWCCs immediately for individuals whose checks are under review for potential cancellation.
-
Apply to 173 individuals currently in this category, who will have their clearances revoked once the law is enacted.
Under current legislation:
- Only individuals charged with very serious offences (e.g., sexual assault) can be suspended immediately.
- Those charged with less serious offences may retain their WWCC for up to 28 days while contesting revocation.
The new laws will eliminate this delay, allowing suspension for:
- Any offence posing a risk to children
- Any relevant regulatory or disciplinary finding
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny stated the reforms are designed to remove dangerous gaps in the system and ensure children are protected from individuals under investigation. The changes follow broader concerns about the responsiveness and integrity of the WWCC framework.
Reference:
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