Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain fights back tears on live TV over Melbourne childcare abuse scandal
In a deeply emotional moment, Ms McBain choked up as she reflected on the impact the alleged crimes would have on families across the country.
It comes after a man was charged with more than 70 offences of child sex abuse in Victoria.
'This is absolutely disgusting,' Ms McBain told Sky News Sunday Agenda.
'I think there are a lot of parents out there who are probably second guessing their thoughts on sending children to childcare, which is not what we want to see.'
Holding back tears, the mother of three shared her own experience of returning to work just months after her first child was born.
'My eldest child, I had to put her into daycare when she was five months old because I needed to get back to work to help us pay off the mortgage,' she said.
'I walked into the baby's room of that childcare centre, really hesitant about giving over care and responsibility for my child to someone else.
'I walked in and I knew two of the three carers that were in there. And I immediately felt a little bit better, but I know that's not the case for a range of parents out there.'
Ms McBain's emotional comments come after 26-year-old Joshua Brown, a former childcare worker, was charged with more than 70 child sex offences.
Some of the children were as young as five months old.
Victoria Police has said Brown, who has worked at 20 childcare centres across Melbourne since 2017, is accused of sexually penetrating a child under 12.
Other allegations include producing and transmitting child abuse material, and contaminating food with bodily fluids.
More than 1,200 children who may have come into contact with Brown have been urged to undergo STI testing.
The move has fuelled calls from some survivors and advocates for a blanket ban on men working in early childhood education.
Ms McBain did not weigh in on the controversial proposal to exclude male carers but reaffirmed the government's commitment to take action as she described the reports as "every parent's worst nightmare.'
'There'll be a range of measures that will be put in place by our government,' she said in response to a question about banning male carers.
'(Education Minister) Jason Clare has said that he'll bring legislation to the parliament in our first sitting,' she said.
'I just want to assure parents out there that we're going to do everything possible to make sure that those conversations (about abuse) don't have to take place.'
'This sort of thing does pull at your heartstrings… We will work really hard because what we've seen reported, I think, is every parent's worst nightmare.'
Education Minister Jason Clare has pledged urgent reforms, including new legislation allowing fraud investigators to make random, warrantless visits to childcare centres,
The use of CCTV in centres to monitor staff-child interactions has also been proposed as another measure to improve safety.
The broader national response may include reforms to working with children checks and better information sharing between states.
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After almost three months of hearing evidence in a regional courtroom, a jury has found that death cap mushroom killer Erin Patterson poisoned her in-laws. The triple-murder trial entered its eleventh week on July 7 as the jury returned its verdict to the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court after hearing from more than 50 witnesses. The 50-year-old was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, when she fed the group a fatal dose of death cap mushroom in a beef Wellington lunch in 2023. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived the meal after a successful liver transplant. Wearing a paisley blouse, Erin Patterson blinked but appeared expressionless as a jury foreperson uttered the words "guilty" four times over the murders and attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon's family. Outside court, her friend, Ali Rose Prior, told the waiting large national and international media throng she was "saddened" by the verdicts, but "it is what it is". "I didn't have any expectations, it's the justice system and it has to be what it is," she told reporters outside the Latrobe Valley courts, in Morwell. Ms Prior, who attended the entire trial, confirmed Patterson had told her "see you soon", and that she would visit her friend in prison. In a statement, Victoria Police said they acknowledged the jury's decision. "Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time, and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them. "We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision," the statement read. They also acknowledged the work of Homicide Squad detectives during the "complex investigation" and the support of other areas across their organisation. A spokesperson for the Patterson family had no comment as they left the court. Simon Patterson, the killer's estranged husband, declined her invitation for lunch, saying their relationship was too tense for him to comfortably attend. The prosecution argued that Patterson had planned and carried out a plot to kill her husband's family. Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers said that Patterson had "secreted" a lethal dose of death cap mushroom poison into the home-cooked beef Wellingtons. She also argued that Patterson told her lunch guests that she had cancer, but that the diagnosis was fabricated. Dr Rogers told the court that Patterson had attempted to "conceal the truth" with a sustained cover-up after the deaths. The jury also heard that Patterson pretended to fall sick after the July 29 lunch. She claimed that foraged death cap mushrooms were in the meal by mistake and maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings. READ MORE: 'No, that's not true': accused mushroom killer denies deliberate poisoning Over the course of the trial, the jury heard of a close family relationship between Patterson and her in-laws before the fateful lunch. Patterson first met her estranged husband's family 20 years ago, in 2005, when the pair started dating after meeting through friends at Melbourne's Monash City Council. The Pattersons had provided emotional and logistical support to the young couple, the court heard. While being questioned by her defence lawyer, Colin Mandy, Patterson remembered her relief when Gail and Don came to stay after the couple had their first baby in Perth. "She taught about settling after a feed and interpreting cries," Patterson said Patterson also credited pastor Ian Wilkinson with her first spiritual experience at the Korumburra Baptist Church, leading her to convert to Christianity. She said that while the family had been close, she had started to feel a growing distance after her split with Simon in 2015. The couple had moved from Perth to Gippsland to be closer to his family after embarking on a number of months-long road trips across the country. But Patterson was becoming "concerned" that her estranged husband didn't want her involved in the family. "I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us, we saw each other less," she said. The tension came to a head when Patterson was excluded from Gail's 70th birthday. By late 2022, interactions between Patterson and her estranged husband had "increased the heat", she said. Patterson said anger and resentment in the relationship grew after the pair failed to find a resolution over child support payments, including school and medical fees. Don and Gail were acting as mediators, encouraging the couple to pray together. "They thought that Simon and I should settle the issue together, but they didn't want to become official mediators," she said. Evidence extracted from Patterson's Facebook messages showed her growing frustration, the court heard. "This family, I swear to f--king god," she messaged Facebook friends at the time. The prosecution did not allege a motive for Patterson to murder three people and attempt to murder another. READ MORE: 'This family, swear to f--king god': what we learned from Erin Patterson Before her arrest, Patterson had made plans for the future, including making an appointment to discuss weight loss methods at a Melbourne clinic in 2023. She had also been accepted into a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at Federation University to begin in 2024. The convicted killer has been remanded in jail since her arrest in November 2023. She awaits sentencing. - with AAP After almost three months of hearing evidence in a regional courtroom, a jury has found that death cap mushroom killer Erin Patterson poisoned her in-laws. The triple-murder trial entered its eleventh week on July 7 as the jury returned its verdict to the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court after hearing from more than 50 witnesses. The 50-year-old was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, when she fed the group a fatal dose of death cap mushroom in a beef Wellington lunch in 2023. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived the meal after a successful liver transplant. Wearing a paisley blouse, Erin Patterson blinked but appeared expressionless as a jury foreperson uttered the words "guilty" four times over the murders and attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon's family. Outside court, her friend, Ali Rose Prior, told the waiting large national and international media throng she was "saddened" by the verdicts, but "it is what it is". "I didn't have any expectations, it's the justice system and it has to be what it is," she told reporters outside the Latrobe Valley courts, in Morwell. Ms Prior, who attended the entire trial, confirmed Patterson had told her "see you soon", and that she would visit her friend in prison. In a statement, Victoria Police said they acknowledged the jury's decision. "Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time, and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them. "We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision," the statement read. They also acknowledged the work of Homicide Squad detectives during the "complex investigation" and the support of other areas across their organisation. A spokesperson for the Patterson family had no comment as they left the court. Simon Patterson, the killer's estranged husband, declined her invitation for lunch, saying their relationship was too tense for him to comfortably attend. The prosecution argued that Patterson had planned and carried out a plot to kill her husband's family. Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers said that Patterson had "secreted" a lethal dose of death cap mushroom poison into the home-cooked beef Wellingtons. She also argued that Patterson told her lunch guests that she had cancer, but that the diagnosis was fabricated. Dr Rogers told the court that Patterson had attempted to "conceal the truth" with a sustained cover-up after the deaths. The jury also heard that Patterson pretended to fall sick after the July 29 lunch. She claimed that foraged death cap mushrooms were in the meal by mistake and maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings. READ MORE: 'No, that's not true': accused mushroom killer denies deliberate poisoning Over the course of the trial, the jury heard of a close family relationship between Patterson and her in-laws before the fateful lunch. Patterson first met her estranged husband's family 20 years ago, in 2005, when the pair started dating after meeting through friends at Melbourne's Monash City Council. The Pattersons had provided emotional and logistical support to the young couple, the court heard. While being questioned by her defence lawyer, Colin Mandy, Patterson remembered her relief when Gail and Don came to stay after the couple had their first baby in Perth. "She taught about settling after a feed and interpreting cries," Patterson said Patterson also credited pastor Ian Wilkinson with her first spiritual experience at the Korumburra Baptist Church, leading her to convert to Christianity. She said that while the family had been close, she had started to feel a growing distance after her split with Simon in 2015. The couple had moved from Perth to Gippsland to be closer to his family after embarking on a number of months-long road trips across the country. But Patterson was becoming "concerned" that her estranged husband didn't want her involved in the family. "I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us, we saw each other less," she said. The tension came to a head when Patterson was excluded from Gail's 70th birthday. By late 2022, interactions between Patterson and her estranged husband had "increased the heat", she said. Patterson said anger and resentment in the relationship grew after the pair failed to find a resolution over child support payments, including school and medical fees. Don and Gail were acting as mediators, encouraging the couple to pray together. "They thought that Simon and I should settle the issue together, but they didn't want to become official mediators," she said. Evidence extracted from Patterson's Facebook messages showed her growing frustration, the court heard. "This family, I swear to f--king god," she messaged Facebook friends at the time. The prosecution did not allege a motive for Patterson to murder three people and attempt to murder another. READ MORE: 'This family, swear to f--king god': what we learned from Erin Patterson Before her arrest, Patterson had made plans for the future, including making an appointment to discuss weight loss methods at a Melbourne clinic in 2023. She had also been accepted into a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at Federation University to begin in 2024. The convicted killer has been remanded in jail since her arrest in November 2023. She awaits sentencing. - with AAP After almost three months of hearing evidence in a regional courtroom, a jury has found that death cap mushroom killer Erin Patterson poisoned her in-laws. The triple-murder trial entered its eleventh week on July 7 as the jury returned its verdict to the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court after hearing from more than 50 witnesses. The 50-year-old was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, when she fed the group a fatal dose of death cap mushroom in a beef Wellington lunch in 2023. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived the meal after a successful liver transplant. Wearing a paisley blouse, Erin Patterson blinked but appeared expressionless as a jury foreperson uttered the words "guilty" four times over the murders and attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon's family. Outside court, her friend, Ali Rose Prior, told the waiting large national and international media throng she was "saddened" by the verdicts, but "it is what it is". "I didn't have any expectations, it's the justice system and it has to be what it is," she told reporters outside the Latrobe Valley courts, in Morwell. Ms Prior, who attended the entire trial, confirmed Patterson had told her "see you soon", and that she would visit her friend in prison. In a statement, Victoria Police said they acknowledged the jury's decision. "Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time, and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them. "We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision," the statement read. They also acknowledged the work of Homicide Squad detectives during the "complex investigation" and the support of other areas across their organisation. A spokesperson for the Patterson family had no comment as they left the court. Simon Patterson, the killer's estranged husband, declined her invitation for lunch, saying their relationship was too tense for him to comfortably attend. The prosecution argued that Patterson had planned and carried out a plot to kill her husband's family. Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers said that Patterson had "secreted" a lethal dose of death cap mushroom poison into the home-cooked beef Wellingtons. She also argued that Patterson told her lunch guests that she had cancer, but that the diagnosis was fabricated. Dr Rogers told the court that Patterson had attempted to "conceal the truth" with a sustained cover-up after the deaths. The jury also heard that Patterson pretended to fall sick after the July 29 lunch. She claimed that foraged death cap mushrooms were in the meal by mistake and maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings. READ MORE: 'No, that's not true': accused mushroom killer denies deliberate poisoning Over the course of the trial, the jury heard of a close family relationship between Patterson and her in-laws before the fateful lunch. Patterson first met her estranged husband's family 20 years ago, in 2005, when the pair started dating after meeting through friends at Melbourne's Monash City Council. The Pattersons had provided emotional and logistical support to the young couple, the court heard. While being questioned by her defence lawyer, Colin Mandy, Patterson remembered her relief when Gail and Don came to stay after the couple had their first baby in Perth. "She taught about settling after a feed and interpreting cries," Patterson said Patterson also credited pastor Ian Wilkinson with her first spiritual experience at the Korumburra Baptist Church, leading her to convert to Christianity. She said that while the family had been close, she had started to feel a growing distance after her split with Simon in 2015. The couple had moved from Perth to Gippsland to be closer to his family after embarking on a number of months-long road trips across the country. But Patterson was becoming "concerned" that her estranged husband didn't want her involved in the family. "I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us, we saw each other less," she said. The tension came to a head when Patterson was excluded from Gail's 70th birthday. By late 2022, interactions between Patterson and her estranged husband had "increased the heat", she said. Patterson said anger and resentment in the relationship grew after the pair failed to find a resolution over child support payments, including school and medical fees. Don and Gail were acting as mediators, encouraging the couple to pray together. "They thought that Simon and I should settle the issue together, but they didn't want to become official mediators," she said. Evidence extracted from Patterson's Facebook messages showed her growing frustration, the court heard. "This family, I swear to f--king god," she messaged Facebook friends at the time. The prosecution did not allege a motive for Patterson to murder three people and attempt to murder another. READ MORE: 'This family, swear to f--king god': what we learned from Erin Patterson Before her arrest, Patterson had made plans for the future, including making an appointment to discuss weight loss methods at a Melbourne clinic in 2023. She had also been accepted into a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at Federation University to begin in 2024. The convicted killer has been remanded in jail since her arrest in November 2023. She awaits sentencing. - with AAP After almost three months of hearing evidence in a regional courtroom, a jury has found that death cap mushroom killer Erin Patterson poisoned her in-laws. The triple-murder trial entered its eleventh week on July 7 as the jury returned its verdict to the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court after hearing from more than 50 witnesses. The 50-year-old was found guilty of murdering Don and Gail Patterson, as well as Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, when she fed the group a fatal dose of death cap mushroom in a beef Wellington lunch in 2023. Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband, survived the meal after a successful liver transplant. Wearing a paisley blouse, Erin Patterson blinked but appeared expressionless as a jury foreperson uttered the words "guilty" four times over the murders and attempted murder of her estranged husband Simon's family. Outside court, her friend, Ali Rose Prior, told the waiting large national and international media throng she was "saddened" by the verdicts, but "it is what it is". "I didn't have any expectations, it's the justice system and it has to be what it is," she told reporters outside the Latrobe Valley courts, in Morwell. Ms Prior, who attended the entire trial, confirmed Patterson had told her "see you soon", and that she would visit her friend in prison. In a statement, Victoria Police said they acknowledged the jury's decision. "Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time, and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them. "We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision," the statement read. They also acknowledged the work of Homicide Squad detectives during the "complex investigation" and the support of other areas across their organisation. A spokesperson for the Patterson family had no comment as they left the court. Simon Patterson, the killer's estranged husband, declined her invitation for lunch, saying their relationship was too tense for him to comfortably attend. The prosecution argued that Patterson had planned and carried out a plot to kill her husband's family. Crown Prosecutor Nanette Rogers said that Patterson had "secreted" a lethal dose of death cap mushroom poison into the home-cooked beef Wellingtons. She also argued that Patterson told her lunch guests that she had cancer, but that the diagnosis was fabricated. Dr Rogers told the court that Patterson had attempted to "conceal the truth" with a sustained cover-up after the deaths. The jury also heard that Patterson pretended to fall sick after the July 29 lunch. She claimed that foraged death cap mushrooms were in the meal by mistake and maintained her innocence throughout the proceedings. READ MORE: 'No, that's not true': accused mushroom killer denies deliberate poisoning Over the course of the trial, the jury heard of a close family relationship between Patterson and her in-laws before the fateful lunch. Patterson first met her estranged husband's family 20 years ago, in 2005, when the pair started dating after meeting through friends at Melbourne's Monash City Council. The Pattersons had provided emotional and logistical support to the young couple, the court heard. While being questioned by her defence lawyer, Colin Mandy, Patterson remembered her relief when Gail and Don came to stay after the couple had their first baby in Perth. "She taught about settling after a feed and interpreting cries," Patterson said Patterson also credited pastor Ian Wilkinson with her first spiritual experience at the Korumburra Baptist Church, leading her to convert to Christianity. She said that while the family had been close, she had started to feel a growing distance after her split with Simon in 2015. The couple had moved from Perth to Gippsland to be closer to his family after embarking on a number of months-long road trips across the country. But Patterson was becoming "concerned" that her estranged husband didn't want her involved in the family. "I had felt for some months that my relationship with the wider Patterson family, particularly Don and Gail, had a bit more distance or space put between us, we saw each other less," she said. The tension came to a head when Patterson was excluded from Gail's 70th birthday. By late 2022, interactions between Patterson and her estranged husband had "increased the heat", she said. Patterson said anger and resentment in the relationship grew after the pair failed to find a resolution over child support payments, including school and medical fees. Don and Gail were acting as mediators, encouraging the couple to pray together. "They thought that Simon and I should settle the issue together, but they didn't want to become official mediators," she said. Evidence extracted from Patterson's Facebook messages showed her growing frustration, the court heard. "This family, I swear to f--king god," she messaged Facebook friends at the time. The prosecution did not allege a motive for Patterson to murder three people and attempt to murder another. READ MORE: 'This family, swear to f--king god': what we learned from Erin Patterson Before her arrest, Patterson had made plans for the future, including making an appointment to discuss weight loss methods at a Melbourne clinic in 2023. She had also been accepted into a Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at Federation University to begin in 2024. The convicted killer has been remanded in jail since her arrest in November 2023. She awaits sentencing. - with AAP
