The Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) warned the Allan Labor Government two years ago that failure to fund the Reportable Conduct Scheme appropriately would compromise its ability to protect children.
In its 2022-23 Annual Report, the CCYP stated they had received an 81 per cent increase in notifications of allegations of harm against children in child-facing organisations under the Reportable Conduct Scheme compared to the first year of the Scheme.
The report lays out a dire warning, stating that even with the dramatic increase in reports, 'the Commission has received no additional funding for the Scheme since that time. As a result, we have made changes to manage lower-risk reportable allegations' and 'as we have highlighted in our submission to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing for its review of the Reportable Conduct Scheme, we are worried that this underfunding may compromise our ability to ensure the Scheme delivers on its objectives to ensure responses to allegations of child abuse are acted on quickly and effectively by organisations.'
The two warnings delivered two years ago by the CCYP to the Allan Labor Government in their submission to the Department and statement in their Annual Report come before revelations on the weekend that accused child abuser Joshua Brown was referred to the Commission two years ago, but no action was taken.
Shadow Minister for Child Protection, Roma Britnell, said: "The failures of the Allan Labor Government in protecting children have reached a new low. Ignoring warnings from the Children's watchdog and continuing to underfund a safety program designed to ensure allegations of child abuse are acted on quickly and effectively has tragically resulted in the Commission's alleged worst fears.
The tragedy for the families, children, and all affected by these despicable crimes is that they may have been prevented if the Allan Labor Government acted on the warnings of the Children's Commission.
My heart goes out to the families and children affected by this tragedy - this should not have happened. The Labor Government has failed them in the worst possible way."
"The Allan Labor Government continues to impede investigations refusing to supply requested information and is failing Victorian families. The Liberals and Nationals called for the recall of Parliament to establish a registration system, strengthen the Working With Children Check system, install CCTV where appropriate, and create an independent and strong watchdog for the sector."
