It drew particular attention to inconsistencies in regulation between jurisdictions, a lack of communication between the states and territories and recommended a national system to track criminal histories of those with a check.<\/p>\n
“These problems are not new and have been recognised by governments for some time,” the commissioners said at the time.<\/p>\n
“We believe that the absence of any action to fix these problems is a significant and inexcusable failure on the part of governments \u2014 these problems cannot continue to be ignored.”<\/p>\n
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Michelle Rowland will meet with her state and territory counterparts in Brisbane today. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)<\/p>\n
More than 10 years later, their recommendation is now on track to be realised.<\/p>\n
Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the new trial will lead to consistency across the country about who is suitable to hold a working with children check.<\/p>\n
“This addresses existing gaps and inconsistencies and will improve protections for children and young people,” she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Rowland said the new system represents a significant step towards timely monitoring of those with a working with children check.<\/p>\n
Laws that strip childcare funding from centres breaching standards to be introduced<\/a><\/p>\n Education Minister Jason Clare says the powers would enable centres to be closed over a single breach, if they do not address a “show cause” notice<\/p>\n “This system will provide continuous, near real-time monitoring of changes to criminal history information for WWCC holders, significantly strengthening safeguards for children and young people.”<\/p>\n Three jurisdictions yet to recognise interstate rulings against checks<\/p>\n Since the last meeting of attorneys-general in August,<\/a> five states now recognise interstate decisions against those applying for or holding a working with children check: New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania.<\/p>\n A key concern of the 2015 royal commission report<\/a> into working with children checks was “forum shopping”, where a person with adverse records in one jurisdiction could get clearance elsewhere because those records are not available interstate.<\/p>\n