Queensland has passed laws to create the state's first public register of child sex offenders, a move that Daniel Morcombe's parents hope will become national.
In a bid to protect children from predators, Queensland parliament has approved legislation to make it easier for families to access information about individuals who have committed crimes against children. The new system will grant access to images and personal details of offenders who breach reporting requirements, allowing residents to view their location on a public website or ask if someone with unsupervised contact with their child is a convicted sexual offender.
The move comes after years of advocacy by the Morcombe family, who lost their 13-year-old son Daniel in 2003. Daniel's parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, say they hope the Queensland system will inspire other states to follow suit, citing concerns that many predators remain undetected.
While critics argue that the new system may provide a false sense of security and could even exacerbate problems for victims of child abuse, supporters claim it is a crucial step in protecting children from harm. "Families previously had no idea if convicted predators were living on their street or even next door," said Premier David Crisafulli.
However, experts have warned that Australia's system remains weak, with only one state currently having an operational sex offender register that provides access to information for parents and guardians. The new Queensland laws are seen as a major step forward, but critics are calling for more comprehensive measures to prevent child abuse and support victims.
As part of the bill, three new offences will be created to prevent the misuse of information or acts of vigilantism. "I cannot stress highly enough that vigilantism will not be tolerated," said Police Minister Dan Purdie, adding that the system is designed to empower Queenslanders to better protect children, with trust placed in the community to do the right thing.
Despite some concerns about its effectiveness, advocates say the new laws represent a significant milestone in the fight against child abuse. "The Daniel's law will go national," said Bruce Morcombe, his voice filled with determination. And as Queensland becomes the first state to introduce a public register of child sex offenders, it is clear that this is just the beginning of a long-overdue shift towards greater protection for Australia's most vulnerable citizens.
In a bid to protect children from predators, Queensland parliament has approved legislation to make it easier for families to access information about individuals who have committed crimes against children. The new system will grant access to images and personal details of offenders who breach reporting requirements, allowing residents to view their location on a public website or ask if someone with unsupervised contact with their child is a convicted sexual offender.
The move comes after years of advocacy by the Morcombe family, who lost their 13-year-old son Daniel in 2003. Daniel's parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, say they hope the Queensland system will inspire other states to follow suit, citing concerns that many predators remain undetected.
While critics argue that the new system may provide a false sense of security and could even exacerbate problems for victims of child abuse, supporters claim it is a crucial step in protecting children from harm. "Families previously had no idea if convicted predators were living on their street or even next door," said Premier David Crisafulli.
However, experts have warned that Australia's system remains weak, with only one state currently having an operational sex offender register that provides access to information for parents and guardians. The new Queensland laws are seen as a major step forward, but critics are calling for more comprehensive measures to prevent child abuse and support victims.
As part of the bill, three new offences will be created to prevent the misuse of information or acts of vigilantism. "I cannot stress highly enough that vigilantism will not be tolerated," said Police Minister Dan Purdie, adding that the system is designed to empower Queenslanders to better protect children, with trust placed in the community to do the right thing.
Despite some concerns about its effectiveness, advocates say the new laws represent a significant milestone in the fight against child abuse. "The Daniel's law will go national," said Bruce Morcombe, his voice filled with determination. And as Queensland becomes the first state to introduce a public register of child sex offenders, it is clear that this is just the beginning of a long-overdue shift towards greater protection for Australia's most vulnerable citizens.
This new law in Queensland is like a ray of hope for families like his - finally, they'll know if someone with predatory intentions lives next door! 
But at the same time, it's crazy to think that we're only just starting to get around to this... Australia's still got a long way to go on addressing child abuse. 
I mean, having an actual system in place is a major step forward, but what about supporting victims and getting the perpetrators held accountable? 
It's all well and good, Premier Crisafulli, but where are we at with resources for counseling services and mental health support for kids who've been traumatized by abuse? 
That's what I want to see next. 
It's about time we as a community start demanding more from our governments and law enforcement agencies when it comes to keeping our kids safe. I mean, who wouldn't want to know if some stranger next door has a history of committing crimes against children? 
It's not like we're being paranoid or anything... 
The fact that there are still critics arguing that this system might provide a false sense of security is just mind-boggling to me. Like, what's the harm in having access to info about potential predators? 
We also need better support systems in place for victims of child abuse – just providing info doesn't cut it, we need real help 
The Morcombe family has been fighting for this for ages and it's finally happening! 
. I mean, we can't just sit back and wait for someone else to fix it, we gotta take action ourselves 
.
. If he believes this can make a difference, and it can lead to more states following suit, then I'm all for it 
. This isn't just about Queensland, it's about creating a national movement to protect our children 
.
It gives me the chills just thinking about it. My friends and I were talking about this in our school's anti-bullying club and we all agreed that it's crazy how some people still think they can get away with stuff like this. But yeah, having a public register of child sex offenders is definitely a step in the right direction 
.
. We can't just assume that this system will magically solve all our problems with child abuse...
. I mean, if we're talking about keeping our kids safe from predators, every bit counts, right? 
. Of course, there are some concerns about the effectiveness of this system, but I think its a great start 
. Its like, if we're not protecting our kids, who will be? 
. Of course, there are valid concerns about the system's effectiveness and potential misuse, but I believe this law shows that our government is finally listening to the pleas of families like the Morcombes 
. Ofc, there are concerns but I think the benefits far outweigh the risks 
Of course, there are gonna be some teething issues and critics who say it's not enough, but I think we're on the right track here. The stats don't lie – these guys are out there, preying on unsuspecting kids. We need to take this seriously. 
I'm also glad the Morcombe family is finally seeing some progress – they've been advocating for this for years. It's about time Australia catches up with other countries in terms of keeping our kids safe online and offline 
kids bein safe online 
is livin next door 
a key to unlock that info 
. Dan Morcombe's family has been pushin for this stuff for ages 
, and now other states might follow suit 
!
, gonna cause more problems than it solves. What's next? Gonna make us all nosy parkers and start snooping on our neighbors just cuz some dude's got a rap sheet 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "families previously had no idea" thing... isn't that just a fancy way of saying we're creating a whole new generation of nosy parkers who'll be constantly on high alert, waiting for their neighbors to turn out to be sex offenders? 
if anything this is a much-needed step forward. plus, it's about time we put an end to these parents/guardians being kept in the dark about who's lurking next door 
Australia's been asleep at the wheel on this one
. My heart goes out to Daniel's parents and all the families who've been affected by child abuse - it's just not right that predators can be living next door to kids without anyone knowing 
. I know some ppl are worried about a false sense of security, but I think having access to info about offenders is way better than not having any at all 
. And let's be real, if it saves even one kid from getting hurt, it's all worth it 
.