Leader's shock after childcare bombshell
A bombshell Herald Sun report revealed on Sunday that a man convicted of accessing nearly 1000 images of child abuse material visited multiple childcare centres while awaiting prosecution for some three years.
At one centre, he taught children about 'ancient tools such as boomerangs, stones and ochre clay' and 'Aboriginal dance and ochre painting' despite police flagging him as potentially dangerous.
The man, Ron Marks, was allowed to continue working with children because had not been charged.
Mr Littleproud, responding to the report on Sunday, called for 'common sense' changes to child safety in childcare. Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called for 'common sense' to guide changes to child safety in childcare centres. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
'It's frightening, and as a father who sent his children to childcare, you do it in good faith that they're going to be safe,' he told the program.
'I get that we have this principle of presumption of innocence in this country, but we also have this thing called common sense.
'And if someone who's working with children is charged and you're not normally charged unless there's significant evidence, you still have that presumption.
'But you should take the precautionary principle and you shouldn't be allowed to go near children – that's common sense.'
Last week, detectives arrested and charged a 26-year-old Joshua Dale Brown with more than 70 offences, including child rape and possession of child abuse material.
He was a worker at a childcare centre and had a working with children check. Joshua Brown worked at multiple centres across Victoria, the police have revealed. Facebook Credit: Supplied Childcare worker Joshua Brown worked at the Point Cook childcare centre. NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
Education Minister Jason Clare has vowed to introduce legislation that would let Canberra cut federal funds to childcare centres that 'aren't up to scratch' on children's safety.
'It has taken too long for governments to act,' he told Seven's Sunrise on Thursday.
'This is sickening and it demands serious action. We've already taken action around mobile phones in childcare centres and mandatory reporting.
'But there's more that we have to do – there's a lot more we have to do.'
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