Almost 700 complaints through a fast-tracked scheme have resulted in only 39 people losing their blue card status in Queensland, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has confirmed.
asserted
Frecklington → track → Queensland
The Reportable Conduct Scheme has received 666 notifications since it began on July 1, with almost 200 referrals to the Queensland Police Service.
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it → receive → Service
As a result, 39 blue cards have been suspended.
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cards → suspend → result
The Queensland Family and Child Commission is monitoring 570 matters.
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Commission → monitor → matters
“The types of conduct reported include ill-treatment of a child, physical violence against a child, and sexual misconduct in relation to a child,” Frecklington said on Monday.
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Frecklington → report → Monday
“Every notification that is received enables the relevant authorities to investigate, to make sure that the principal objective of keeping Queensland children safe is met.”
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objective → receive → children
The state government announced in June it would set up a new child protection commission to centralise a patchwork of safeguard functions that failed to stop the actions of the state’s worst childcare paedophile.
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that → announce → paedophile
Frecklington said on Monday the commission would help parents “feel as though they are doing the right thing by dropping their kids at daycare”.
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they → say → daycare
When asked why the hundreds of complaints had not resulted in more blue card suspensions, Frecklington said the scheme ensured that suspensions were made if a child was in imminent danger.
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child → ask → danger
It was crucial to receive and share information below the criminal threshold between organisations, Principal Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Luke Twyford said.
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Twyford → receive → organisations
He said many of the complaints were instead “about the warning signs, the breadcrumbs, and signals that something might not be right” and after every one, there was a risk assessment.
uncertain
something → say → one
“Often for these workers, there’s an allegation that is below the criminal threshold, but may reach a crime if more information comes to light,” he said.
uncertain
he → ’ → light
“We’re being proactive in sharing that information, making sure everyone across government is aware that there’s been a signal that this person might be a risk.
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person → share → government
It would be inappropriate to therefore suspend everyone that’s reaching that threshold.”
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that → suspend → threshold
Twyford said one successful report came from a mother concerned about a photographer hired from overseas for a sporting club.
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report → say → club
After the investigation, the worker’s blue card was suspended.
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card → suspend → investigation
Another successful report centred on reports of a male worker grooming a young girl in an accommodation service.
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worker → centre → service
She informed staff, who then reported it to QFCC.
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who → inform → QFCC
“The worker quit their job seeking to avoid detection and sought employment elsewhere,” Twyford said.
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Twyford → quit → employment
Under the scheme, the organisation was required to investigate after his departure, and found two other young people who said they had been groomed, he said.
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he → require → people
This was then referred to police, and the man’s blue card was suspended.
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card → refer → police
Frecklington was also asked about the welfare of children in Queensland’s youth detention centres, where workers began seven days of rolling strikes from Monday.
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workers → ask → Monday
The Australian Workers Union said there had been 14 reported serious staff assaults – including head punches, a bite drawing blood and urine thrown on a staff member – in the last seven days and more than 500 serious staff assaults in the last 12 months.
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Union → say → months
Frecklington said the Crisafulli government was at the negotiating table.
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government → say → table
She would not confirm how many more beds would be needed after new breach of bail laws were introduced.
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breach → confirm → laws
“It’s pretty simple,” Frecklington said.
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Frecklington → ’ → ?
“We will prioritise the rights of victims over the rights of offenders.
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We → prioritise → offenders
“Of course we’ve looked at the impact upon the system, as we do with all of our new legislation … but if you don’t want to end up in the criminal justice system, you don’t want to go back to juvie, don’t commit another offence whilst you’re on bail.
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you → look → bail
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