Australia vows tougher childcare laws after worker charged with child sex offences

Australia is set to implement new actions to revoke funding from childcare facilities that do not meet safety standards following the arrest of a Melbourne man charged with over 70 counts related to child sexual abuse, a situation that has shocked many families.

The event has renewed examination of Australia’s early childcare industry less than a year after a previous employee was sentenced to life for the sexual abuse of nearly 70 children. Police announced on Tuesday that they had apprehended and charged a 26-year-old childcare worker from Victoria, identified as Joshua Brown, in May for crimes involving eight victims ranging from five months to two years old.

On Wednesday, reports indicated that authorities also charged another individual, acquainted with Brown, with child sexual abuse crimes. Neither man has submitted a plea and were not available for comment at this time. Reuters was unable to locate contact information for their attorneys.

Following the allegations, officials reached out to thousands of families associated with the case and recommended tests for approximately 1,200 children to eliminate the possibility of exposure to infectious diseases. Australia’s Education Minister Jason Clare has requested that his department quickly create new legislation to allow the government to withdraw funding from childcare centers that do not meet safety standards.

“It’s about making sure that, if services aren’t up to scratch, that they aren’t meeting the safety and quality standards we expect … that we have the power as a government to cut their funding off,” Clare told a press conference.

Clare said he would also examine reforms to the permit system for working with children, after police said Brown held a valid permit at the time of his arrest.

State premier Jacinta Allan said the “sickening” accusations prompted many to ask, “How could this sort of offending be possible within a childcare centre?”

“My government will take every action possible, as soon as possible, to strengthen safety standards in early childhood settings and care, and to keep Victorian children safe,” she added. The government will also consider installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in such centres, she added, during its review of safety measures. “This will be a short, sharp piece of work that will focus on the immediate actions we can take.”