Worker retains Working with Children Check despite being blacklisted

The Victorian government is now looking to revoke that 'working with children' clearance.

Transcript

00:00Prime Minister Senator Allen clearly frustrated by this report and clearly frustrated by

00:07continued failings in the system. Now the government will receive a report, a rapid

00:12review from former South Australian Premier Jay Wetherill at the end of the week which

00:16will give suggestions and recommendations about how to improve the system. But the Premier

00:21says in this case the government is moving quickly to remove his working with children

00:26check immediately. Now this may sound immediately, it's been going on for five years, but here's

00:31what she had to say when she spoke to reporters as she entered Victorian Parliament this morning.

00:36What's really clear is what's happened in these circumstances is not acceptable. It's not

00:41acceptable and that is why we need to strengthen the system and I have been clear about the

00:47need to strengthen the system from day one. I am advised, some very recent advice I've

00:54received this morning is that individual is going, there is a process that's being worked

00:59through to cancel that particular individual's working with children's cheque. But it's absolutely

01:05clear that that's not acceptable. Unacceptable is a word we're hearing a lot around State

01:09Parliament today. There's also been pressure on the government and the Premier in question

01:12time over the childcare issue. That report, the rapid review I mentioned earlier, will be

01:17handed in on Friday. Expect the government to consider it over the weekend and discuss it

01:21the Cabinet on Monday with recommendations to be announced as early as next week. But there

01:26is a huge pressure on the government to act and I would expect we might see things like

01:30a streamlining of authorities, maybe a one stop shop and definitely there will be a lowering

01:36of the working with children cheque threshold to have it revoked. But lots of parents are

01:40hoping that there are some changes to make them feel like their kids are safe.