Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
· collected 2026-09-07 · by Dominique Tassell
Queensland's Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has confirmed that out of almost 700 complaints made through a fast-tracked scheme since July 1, only 39 people have lost their blue card status. The Reportable Conduct Scheme has received 666 notifications and referred almost 200 cases to the Queensland Police Service. According to Frecklington, many complaints were about "warning signs" rather than imminent danger, which is the threshold for suspension. Principal Commissioner Luke Twyford emphasized the importance of sharing information below the criminal threshold between organizations to keep children safe.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Queensland's new reportable conduct scheme has led to 39 working-with-children clearances being suspended in just two months. The scheme, which was brought forward by 12 months, came into effect on July 1 and aims to provide a consistent framework for reporting sexual offences, violence, and neglect against children. Since its launch, the Queensland Family and Children's Commission has received 666 notifications of reportable conduct, including allegations of ill-treatment of a child (29%), physical violence against a child (22%), and sexual misconduct in relation to a child (16%). As a result, 39 blue cards have been suspended, including one case where a man was accused of grooming a teenage girl at an accommodation service. The scheme has also led to almost 200 referrals to the Queensland Police Service. The state government plans to merge the reportable conduct scheme and blue card system with the Queensland Protection Commission from next year, which is expected to centralise safeguard functions and improve child protection in the state.
Written for “Queensland Child Safety Crackdown” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Almost 700 complaints through a fast-tracked scheme have resulted in only 39 people losing their blue card status in Queensland, Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has confirmed.
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Frecklington → track → Queensland
The Reportable Conduct Scheme has received 666 notifications since it began on July 1, with almost 200 referrals to the Queensland Police Service.
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it → receive → Service
As a result, 39 blue cards have been suspended.
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cards → suspend → result
The Queensland Family and Child Commission is monitoring 570 matters.
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Commission → monitor → matters
“The types of conduct reported include ill-treatment of a child, physical violence against a child, and sexual misconduct in relation to a child,” Frecklington said on Monday.
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Frecklington → report → Monday
“Every notification that is received enables the relevant authorities to investigate, to make sure that the principal objective of keeping Queensland children safe is met.”
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objective → receive → children
The state government announced in June it would set up a new child protection commission to centralise a patchwork of safeguard functions that failed to stop the actions of the state’s worst childcare paedophile.
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that → announce → paedophile
Frecklington said on Monday the commission would help parents “feel as though they are doing the right thing by dropping their kids at daycare”.
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they → say → daycare
When asked why the hundreds of complaints had not resulted in more blue card suspensions, Frecklington said the scheme ensured that suspensions were made if a child was in imminent danger.
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child → ask → danger
It was crucial to receive and share information below the criminal threshold between organisations, Principal Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Luke Twyford said.
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Twyford → receive → organisations
He said many of the complaints were instead “about the warning signs, the breadcrumbs, and signals that something might not be right” and after every one, there was a risk assessment.
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something → say → one
“Often for these workers, there’s an allegation that is below the criminal threshold, but may reach a crime if more information comes to light,” he said.
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he → ’ → light
“We’re being proactive in sharing that information, making sure everyone across government is aware that there’s been a signal that this person might be a risk.
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person → share → government
It would be inappropriate to therefore suspend everyone that’s reaching that threshold.”
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that → suspend → threshold
Twyford said one successful report came from a mother concerned about a photographer hired from overseas for a sporting club.
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report → say → club
After the investigation, the worker’s blue card was suspended.
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card → suspend → investigation
Another successful report centred on reports of a male worker grooming a young girl in an accommodation service.
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worker → centre → service
She informed staff, who then reported it to QFCC.
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who → inform → QFCC
“The worker quit their job seeking to avoid detection and sought employment elsewhere,” Twyford said.
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Twyford → quit → employment
Under the scheme, the organisation was required to investigate after his departure, and found two other young people who said they had been groomed, he said.
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he → require → people
This was then referred to police, and the man’s blue card was suspended.
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card → refer → police
Frecklington was also asked about the welfare of children in Queensland’s youth detention centres, where workers began seven days of rolling strikes from Monday.
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workers → ask → Monday
The Australian Workers Union said there had been 14 reported serious staff assaults – including head punches, a bite drawing blood and urine thrown on a staff member – in the last seven days and more than 500 serious staff assaults in the last 12 months.
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Union → say → months
Frecklington said the Crisafulli government was at the negotiating table.
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government → say → table
She would not confirm how many more beds would be needed after new breach of bail laws were introduced.
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breach → confirm → laws
“It’s pretty simple,” Frecklington said.
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Frecklington → ’ → ?
“We will prioritise the rights of victims over the rights of offenders.
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We → prioritise → offenders
“Of course we’ve looked at the impact upon the system, as we do with all of our new legislation … but if you don’t want to end up in the criminal justice system, you don’t want to go back to juvie, don’t commit another offence whilst you’re on bail.
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you → look → bail
