Abuse allegations against a child care worker revealed by Operation Tenterfield this week compelled governments to do more to strengthen child protection, Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford says.
Mr Crawford said he supported a call for an urgent out-of-session state and territory ministerial meeting on child safety.
Timing on any such meeting is yet to be finalised.
Mr Crawford said the Queensland government was committed to establishing a reportable conduct scheme, as recommended by the child abuse royal commission in December 2017.
Such a scheme would provide independent oversight of organisations' responses to allegations of child abuse and misconduct by staff and volunteers.
Earlier this week, a joint police task force revealed a former childcare worker had been charged with 1,623 child abuse offences against 91 children.
The Australian Federal Police alleged the offences — against pre-pubescent girls — occurred at childcare centres in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas.
Opposition leader David Crisafulli said like every Queenslander he had been moved by what was revealed "with some of the most heinous allegations against someone in a position of trust".
"Someone who should have been operating in a safe space, someone who Queensland parents thought they could trust," he said.
Mr Crisafulli has attacked the government over its failure to implement all recommendations in the 2017 report Keeping Queensland's Children More Than Safe: Review of the Blue Card System.
It was commissioned after the death of 12-year-old schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer who was murdered by her foster father Rick Thorburn in October 2015.
"There were 81 recommendations in that report, but six years on only 28 have been implemented ... from a report designed to overhaul the blue card system in the state and keep our kids safe," he said.
"The government said at the time this was a critical report that would drive change."
Mr Crisafulli also took aim at the failure to implement the Child Safety Principles, which were recommended as part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2018.
New South Wales and Victoria have implemented them and Queensland has signed on "in principle".
Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said the Queensland Blue Card system was "one of, if not, the most stringent in the nation".
The alleged paedophile was involved in photography and had a valid blue card, despite Queensland police investigating two reports about him in the last two years.
At the time there was not enough evidence to charge the Gold Coast man.
During a budget estimates hearing this morning, Queensland's Education Minster Grace Grace said she was "appalled" by the child abuse charges levelled against a former childcare worker.
"The allegations were shocking," she said.
"I want to say just how appalled I was to hear about the abhorrent nature of the charges.
"My thoughts are with the families affected and I want to assure Queenslanders that we will leave no stone unturned when it comes to protecting our children and keeping them safe.
"I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the thousands of childcare workers who look after our youngest Queenslanders with care and kindness every single day."
When it was put to Ms Grace by LNP's Tim Nicholls that the government had not done enough to protect children, the minister became emotional.
Speaking with her hand on her heart, she said the government "will do what we can, we will leave no stone unturned if there is something we can do to ensure this never happens again.
"And any suggestion to the contrary is insulting and purely playing politics," she said.
Families in Brisbane and Sydney are seeking legal advice over the case, which impacted 91 victims.
A law firm told the ABC they have been contacted by multiple families about potential compensation entitlements.
In a statement released last night, the firm urged families involved to be aware of their legal rights.
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2023-08-03 01:17:55Z
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