Queensland logs 666 conduct reports, suspends 39 blue cards since scheme launch

Queensland's reportable conduct scheme, introduced a year early on July 1, has generated more than 666 notifications of alleged sexual offences, violence or neglect. The Queensland Family and Children's Commission reports that 39 blue cards have been suspended in the two months since the scheme's start, one of which involved a man accused of grooming a teenage girl while working at an accommodation service. He quit his job after the allegation and attempted to find new work, but the suspended blue card blocked that move and the information was instantly shared with Queensland Police Service.

Roughly 200 matters have been escalated to police and 572 are being closely monitored, with 29% relating to ill-treatment, 22% to physical violence and 16% to sexual misconduct. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington highlighted the volume of reports during Child Protection Week, emphasizing the system's role in safeguarding children. A review of serial paedophile Ashley Paul Griffith showed the scheme could have intercepted his offenses earlier. Starting next February, the scheme and blue-card system will be incorporated into the Queensland Protection Commission, a dedicated agency uniting education, health, police, child safety and youth justice under one roof.