Labor Conceals Child Safety Docs In Early Centers
The Victorian Labor Government has broken Parliamentary rules and failed to produce documents requested by the Victorian Greens relating to safety in childcare centres.
The Victorian Greens used a parliamentary tool to request the documents over 30 days ago – prior to shocking allegations of serial abuse in Victorian childcare centres coming to light. Labor has now officially missed the deadline which is in breach of the Parliament’s standing orders.
The Victorian Greens say that Labor breaking the rules and failing to produce the documents is shameful and that parents in Victoria deserve transparency and accountability now more than ever.
The Greens put forward the request for similar documents to what was revealed in NSW following the work of NSW Greens MP Abigail Boyd that exposed widespread neglect and abuse in the state’s early childhood sector.
The documents requested by the Greens include risk assessments, enforcement records, and warnings issued to childcare providers – plus the internal rules the Department uses to decide when action is taken.
The motion put forward by the Greens was watertight, with a specific scope, and safeguards around privacy.
The Victorian Greens spokesperson for Early Childhood, Anasina Gray-Barberio said that the same documents had been released in NSW and there was no reason they couldn’t be made public in Victoria unless Labor had something to hide.
She added that the motion put forward by the Greens was watertight, with a specific scope, and safeguards around privacy.
As stated by Anasina Gray-Barberio, Victorian Greens spokesperson for Early Childhood:
“It’s shameful that Labor is refusing to release documents about child safety in the middle of a crisis. The Greens requested this information before the horrific abuse allegations came to light – parents deserve transparency now more than ever.”
“There’s no excuse. NSW Labor released similar documents, and it uncovered serious systemic failures. These documents are vital to understanding what went wrong and how we fix it.”
“We won’t let this go. The Greens will keep pushing for an independent watchdog because right now Labor is marking their own homework – and hiding the results. We will keep pushing for these documents and if Labor refuses to release them, well I think that sends a clear message that they care more about political damage control than protecting our kids.”
https://greens.org.au/vic/news/media-release/labor-hiding-documents-relating-child-safety-early-childhood-centres