All states and territories have agreed to rush through urgent childcare reforms after allegations of abuse at centres across the country.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland, along with her state and territory counterparts, has introduced “banned in one, banned in all” legislation. This aims to prevent individuals banned from working with children in one location from being employed in the same capacity elsewhere.

All jurisdictions have promised to implement these changes by the end of the year.

“There is a firm commitment from all states and territories to pull out all stops, and we are working together as a team,” Rowland said. 

The attorneys-general have also agreed to raise their criteria on who can apply for a working with children check in each state and territory.

The initiative will also enhance information sharing. This will ensure that any changes in a person’s criminal history are updated and distributed instantly through a National Continuous Checking Capability.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission is currently working on a pilot for this program.

“It is notable that nefarious individuals have been shopping around the working with children, check system and exploiting loopholes,” Rowland said.

“These are complex reforms, and they won’t be delivered overnight.”

These changes were first recommended in the 2015 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Rowland recognized that previous administrations have failed families, but emphasized that “a moment of political will” has brought these recommendations to the forefront now.

“These are complex areas, but that is no excuse for saying this is too hard,” she said.

“The fact is that we have come together, noting that a significant body of work has occurred in the lead up to today’s meeting.”

She also dismissed the idea of creating a national database for working with children checks, asserting that administration should remain with each jurisdiction due to differing laws across states and territories.

These reforms come in the wake of allegations against childcare workers in NSW and Victoria.

Joshua Dale Brown, 26, has been charged with 70 offences allegedly committed while working at childcare centres in Melbourne.

David William James, 26, has been charged with 13 offences while working at out-of-school-hours care services in Sydney.

The attorneys-general’s latest announcement complements efforts by the Department of Education to improve standards and safety in the sector.

Thirty childcare centres slapped with compliance actions 

Earlier today, the Department of Education imposed compliance actions on childcare centers nationwide under urgent new legislation that passed last month.

An investigation by the federal education department, in collaboration with states and territories, found 30 childhood education and childcare services failed to meet national quality standards for seven or more years.

The centres have 48 hours to notify parents of the compliance actions and have six months to bring their performance up to the national standard.

Education Minister Jason Clare said he hoped today’s announcement would help rebuild confidence in the childcare system. 

“This is not about closing centres down, it’s about lifting standards up,” he said.

“Over the next six months, these centres will need to lift their game or they will face further consequences, including the cutting off of funding.

“This action puts those centres on notice that they need to put the safety of our children first.”

The Department of Education will release the names of those 30 childcare centres once parents are notified by next week.

The compliance actions do not relate to any criminal allegations.

Under new powers passed through parliament in July, the government can cut off funding to childcare centres that fail to meet the safety and quality standards, breach laws, or act in a way that puts child safety at risk.

The compliance actions are the first time these new powers have been used.

The country’s education ministers will meet next Friday to discuss more measures to strengthen the childcare sector, including a national register of childcare workers, the role of CCTV and mandatory child safety training. 

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.