The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer with the passing of Daniel’s Law in Parliament, delivering the State’s first public child sex offender register.
The Community Protection and Child Sex Offender Public Register, is one of the most significant reforms to child safety laws in Queensland’s history and one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is delivering for Queensland.
Daniel’s Law honours a key election commitment and will create a three-tiered disclosure scheme, empowering parents and carers to access information about convicted child sex offenders so they can better protect their children.
The Community Protection and Child Sex Offender Public Register will be available to Queenslanders from the end of this year.
The Register is the next phase of the Crisafulli Government’s Making Queensland Safer laws modelled on the successful Western Australian system and includes:
- Tier 1: A publicly available website listing reportable offenders who have failed to comply with obligations and whose whereabouts are unknown (the offenders full name, photograph and year of birth will be accessible by members of the public, but they must agree not to misuse the information).
- Tier 2: An online application for residents to view photographs of reportable offenders living in their local area.
- Tier 3: An online application for parents or guardians to confirm if a particular person with unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender.
The scheme will also include three new offences to prevent the misuse of information or acts of vigilantism.
The landmark legislation honours the legacy of Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, whose abduction and murder in 2003 inspired two decades of advocacy for stronger child protection laws.
Premier David Crisafulli said the Government was delivering the fresh start Queenslanders voted for, exactly as promised.
“We are delivering Daniel’s Law and establishing Queensland’s first public child sex offender register, to arm parents with the information they need and make Queensland safer,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“This is a monumental day, not just for the Morcombe’s who have shown amazing strength in their advocacy for these laws for over a decade, but for every family in Queensland.
“Families previously had no idea if convicted predators were living on their street or even next door, but this tool will help prevent monsters from hiding in plain sight.
“While no system will ever be perfect, these new laws will help parents protect our children, who can’t protect themselves.
“We are putting the rights of victims ahead of the rights of offenders, and while we are seeing crime down and victim numbers down, there is much more to be done to make Queensland safer.”
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said this marks a pivotal moment in the protection of children across Queensland.
“Thanks to the unwavering advocacy of the Morcombe family, we are putting in place legislation that will help keep Queensland’s children safer now and into the future,” the Attorney-General said.
“This legislation delivers greater transparency and gives Queensland families the assurance that the Crisafulli Government is doing everything possible to make them safer.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie – a former Child Protection Detective on the Sunshine Coast – said delivering Daniel’s Law legislation would be one of the proudest moments of his career.
“Daniel’s Law will give parents something they’ve never had before: the power to know and the power to act,” Minister Purdie said.
“This is not about fear or vengeance; it’s about vigilance, protection and empowerment.
“We owe this to Daniel, to his family, and to every Queensland child who deserves to grow up safe.
“Daniel’s Law can’t erase the past, but it can help protect the future.”
Bruce and Denise Morcombe said the passing of Daniel’s Law signified a powerful tribute to their son and the cause they’ve dedicated their lives to.
“It has been more than 20 years since Daniel was taken from us, and every single day since, we’ve fought to make sure no other family goes through what we did,” Bruce and Denise Morcombe said.
“Daniel’s Law is about protecting kids, empowering parents, and shining a light on those who lurk in the dark.
“We’re incredibly proud to see Daniel’s legacy is so powerful and will keep Queensland children safe for generations to come.”
ENDS
