Subjects: Working with Children Checks; US meeting.
MONIQUE WRIGHT, HOST: Urgent reforms on Working with Children's Checks, including a quote, banned in one, banned in all approach, could be implemented by the end of this year.
DAVID WOIWOD, HOST: It comes after a meeting of the nation's Attorneys-General in light of a number of allegations of abuse in the child care system across multiple states.
WRIGHT: For more, we welcome Attorney-General Michelle Rowland. Good morning to you, Attorney-General. Thanks for being with us. Certainly, a step in the right direction. There remains some confusion around it. Can you just clarify how this is? Does every state still run their own Working with Children's Checks, but share that information?
MICHELLE ROWLAND, ATTORNEY-GENERAL: That's broadly correct. Every state and territory does run their own bespoke system right now and there's some 6 million Working with Children Checks that are in operation right around the country. What we are seeking to do is not reinvent the wheel, but to get those systems to talk to one another so we have a better understanding of, for example, who has been banned in one jurisdiction and ensuring that they are banned in all jurisdictions. So, banned in one, banned in all. Better information sharing, so, we've got real-time updates of information, such as criminal history, but also making sure that we lift the quality standards of those Working with Children Checks so we have better consistency right across the Commonwealth.
WOIWOD: So, why is it that we have baulked here at a national system? Why is it still just being left to the states with that communication, as you've just pointed out, between those state based agencies? Why haven't we opted for a broadly national approach to this?
ROWLAND: Well, indeed, we do have each state and territory that does have its own operations. But what we want to ensure is that we've got the most efficient system that can have the best quality standards in the least amount of time, but also make sure that this works. We are really in the business here of working as a team. The Commonwealth, the states and territories all came together yesterday to agree to an ambitious set of reforms. We want to make sure that we have outcomes. We're very outcomes focused here. What we want to ensure is that people who hold Working with Children Checks are fit to do so and that we close the loopholes on those nefarious individuals who seek to exploit them. That's what these reforms are about.
WRIGHT: Ok. The Children's Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, wants to talk about reportable conduct schemes. There is one in NSW, there's not one in every state and territory. Now, this is whether there is questionable conduct at a centre. That centre then reports that they can't get a police conviction, but they want other centres to know. What is the plan on that? Will there be a reportable conduct scheme nationally?
ROWLAND: No, it's a very good point, and indeed one of the items that was agreed to yesterday was - it's often not only criminal convictions or sentences that are key bits of information - It's also the types of conduct that may be displayed by individuals that is relevant to determining whether or not that person is fit to hold one of these checks.
So, that's indeed one of the areas that states and territories agree to look at and share information about to make this system better.
WOIWOD: Alright. So, Attorney-General, talk us through the timeline now for these proposed reforms. You said by the end of the year. We know that we've already had this Royal Commission. That was 10 or so years ago now we have sat on all of those recommendations. Successive governments have done that. Are we now, and I don't want to say this, rushing to this, is it going to be a half baked system just to tick a box?
ROWLAND: No, it's a valid question. A couple of points that I'll make there. The first is you are right, this is successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments that have let Australians down and we've seen the consequences of that in the last decade. But I want to be forward looking and this government and all states and territories want to do the same. We have been realistic about the time frames that this will take. These are complex IT builds. It's also a requirement in some states to change legislation and also to have policy changes in place. But all states and territories have agreed to work towards implementation of that banned in one, banned in all by the end of the year and in some of those other areas, I want to reassure your viewers that work is underway right now to make sure that we've got that checking capability so that will be ready to go. So, work has been done in that area. It hasn't been done fast enough to date.
WRIGHT: Well the public will is certainly there, demanding change in this area. Before we let you go, a historic meeting is unfolding right now. As you're aware, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a summit in Alaska. From an Australian perspective, Attorney-General, what does success look like after this meeting?
ROWLAND: If we're talking about Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, that indeed has been going on for too long. We as a government welcome the United States involvement to try and bring this conflict to a close. Australia stands with Ukraine and any methods and any useful tools that the US could have at its disposal through this meeting is one that we certainly welcome, because I'm sure that all Australians would want to see this conflict end, as does the rest of the free world.
WRIGHT: Can I just ask you, do you agree with a red carpet welcome for Vladimir Putin onto US Soil, given that there is still fighting and killing at Russia's hands in Ukraine?
ROWLAND: Well, I won't speak for President Trump, but indeed, the president would know well how to deal with these situations. They are, obviously one of our longest and most closest allies, and we look forward to progress being made in this area.
WOIWOD: Well, Attorney-General we thank you for your time this morning and for walking us through those reforms to the Working with Children's Checks this morning. Thank you.
ROWLAND: Pleasure.
