Jacinta Allan's Labor Government delayed obvious, urgent reforms needed to keep children safe.
It shouldn't have taken the horrific abuse of Victorian children in childcare to force this government to act.
The Liberals and Nationals offered to work constructively with the Allan Labor Government to implement immediate reforms to keep children safe in childcare, including closing loopholes in Victoria's Working With Children Check system and establishing an independent statutory watchdog to improve regulatory compliance and enforcement.
Labor ignored that offer and today's review recommends implementing the very reforms that we outlined in our plan Safe from the Start: Our Plan to Protect Children in Childcare last month.
The Labor Government ignored a 2022 warning from the Ombudsman to close dangerous loopholes in the Working With Children Check system. They were told to fix a broken system and did not. That's a disgrace.
Three weeks ago, the Premier and her government voted down legislation introduced by the Liberals and Nationals that would have implemented the Ombudsman's recommendations - including allowing for the immediate revocation of an active Working With Children Check.
Meanwhile, the government's regulator has been missing in action with complaints about childcare providers up 43 per cent but compliance action down 63 per cent. Now the government will wait until at least mid-October before even introducing legislation to establish an independent watchdog - further delaying action.
Victorians deserve better.
The Liberals and Nationals will always put the safety of Victorians first. We will provide constructive support to any measures that improve our childcare system in response to the Rapid Child Safety Review.
Leader of the Opposition, Brad Battin said: "Jacinta Allan has failed a major test of her leadership. She should have acted six weeks ago when these shocking allegations came to light. You don't need a review to tell you to do the right thing.
"We urged the government to act immediately and we offered to work with them, now we have to wait for this Labor Government to deliver on the review's findings."
Shadow Minister for Education, Jess Wilson, said: "This Labor Government has put children at risk through its failure to act on warnings about the childcare system.
"This review confirms Labor has delayed urgent action to keep children safe - and will continue to wait months before recommendations are implemented.
"The Premier decided to delay action rather than work with Liberals and Nationals to pass urgent reforms to keep children safe. The Ombudsman's recommendation from three years ago could be law today.
"We know what action needs to be taken. The Allan Labor Government must listen to the repeated calls by the Liberals and Nationals and immediately implement the Ombudsman's WWCC recommendations and establish an independent statutory authority to properly regulate Victoria's childcare sector."
