The Victorian Liberals and Nationals have successfully referred Victoria's childcare regulator to the Ombudsman, following serious allegations of child sexual abuse by a Melbourne childcare worker.
A full investigation into the performance of the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) - the body responsible for monitoring safety and compliance in early childhood education and care, will now be undertaken.
Government inaction is undermining the safety of Victoria's children - the Ombudsman will consider the following:
- Alarming reports of child sexual abuse linked to one individual who worked across at least 24 childcare centres, prompting over 2,000 children to undergo testing;
- The failure of the Allan Labor Government to act on a 2022 Ombudsman report that described Victoria's Working With Children Check system as among the weakest in the nation;
- The lack of mandatory training for applicants and the absence of a centralised register of childcare educators to strengthen oversight;
- A 45 per cent increase in complaints to QARD since 2018, while enforcement actions have plummeted by 67 per cent over the same period;
- The exclusion of QARD from the Allan Government's Rapid Child Safety Review.
This action comes after Labor blocked reforms proposed by the Liberals and Nationals in the lower house, that would have strengthened Victoria's Working With Children Checks - that remain the weakest in the nation.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council David Davis said Labor's inaction had put children at risk.
"The Allan Labor Government has failed to close loopholes and act on warnings. It's unacceptable that Victoria's childcare safety system remains dangerously weak. Families deserve answers - and accountability."
"While Labor has refused to act, the Liberals and Nationals has secured the parliament's agreement to investigate these repeated failures from Jacinta Allan and her government."
