Latest news with #Glaister
7NEWS
22-07-2025
- 7NEWS
CCTV in childcare: safety net or security risk?
Parents are demanding answers over plans to roll out security cameras in childcare centres. But cybersecurity experts warn the move could put children in even greater danger. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today After a string of horrifying abuse cases inside Australian daycare centres pressure is mounting for a national CCTV solution. In Melbourne, Joshua Brown is facing 70 charges relating to child sexual abuse, while a childcare director at a Montessori centre in Brisbane allegedly allowed her convicted husband to work at the centre. Meanwhile, Brisbane childcare worker Nicolas James Parisi has been charged with an alleged indecent act involving a four-year-old child. Governments and industry are considering CCTV for 17,000 centres nationwide. But there's now a growing chorus of concern that surveillance might do more harm than good. Parent Melody Glaister said the system is broken. Her six-year-old daughter was once under the care of alleged serial offender Joshua Dale Brown at a childcare centre. 'She had to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases,' Glaister told 7NEWS chief reporter Chris Reason. 'CCTV cameras are not going to fix that problem. 'The whole thing is just broken. It's a mess.' While she agrees CCTV could have a place in centres, she is worried about the risk of these sensitive images being accessed by unauthorised individuals. 'The problem with CCTV is obviously the images that it captures and then making sure where that's stored and how is that information going to be protected as well,' she said. 'If that ends up in the wrong hands, that's disastrous.' Cybersecurity expert Ahmed Khanji warns that most cameras already in use are shockingly easy to hack. He showed 7NEWS how easily hackers could tap illegally into unsecured feeds from driveways to living rooms with just a few clicks. Khanji said childcare footage would be no exception. 'There are over 2 million connected devices online in Australia. Most don't even have passwords,' he said. 'More than 95 per cent would be vulnerable to an attack.' He fears security cameras could actually help predators, not prevent them. 'I mean, it horrifies me and I'm a cybersecurity professional.' Khanji warns there simply aren't enough trained experts to securely manage a nationwide rollout. The United Workers Union is also pushing back on CCTV in centres. 'That is thousands of hours of filming of children. And how do we keep that safe?' Carolyn Smith, early childhood education director with the United Workers Union, said. The union wants increased staff, training and checks. They are calling for two educators per room, no matter the number of children and stronger checks and balances on working with children approvals plus a national oversight of CCTV data — if it's used at all. Centres have to ensure 'those educators are trained and really well supported and empowered to raise issues'. As a parent, Glaister slammed the ease of obtaining and keeping a working with children check, even during ongoing investigations. 'That piece of paper means nothing to me now. It should mean everything. But it doesn't,' she said. 'But if we don't learn from this, then sadly, incidents could happen again and more parents and children could be impacted by those.'
The Advertiser
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Hundreds more kids to be tested as abuse scandal widens
Hundreds more children face tests for infectious diseases after authorities discovered an alleged sex offender worked at four additional childcare centres. Victorian authorities are working to contact the families whose children attended the centres during Joshua Dale Brown's employment between August 2024 and February 2025. The newly listed locations are all operated by Affinity Education: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, and Milestones Early Learning centres in Tarneit, Greensborough and Braybrook. Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight children younger than two at a centre at Point Cook in Melbourne's southwest, between April 2022 and January 2023. Police believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, stretching from Williamstown to Sunbury. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath confirmed 830 additional families would be contacted, adding to the 1200 who have been urged to have precautionary testing. "This is obviously a highly distressing situation and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low," Dr McGrath said on Tuesday. Melody Glaister's daughter, now six, attended Creative Garden Early Learning Point Cook during Brown's employment at the centre. She had been anxiously awaiting the results of her daughter's test, which came back negative on Tuesday. "We're incredibly grateful and relieved as parents that our child is physically healthy but we are always going to wonder, did something happen to our child," Ms Glaister told AAP. Ms Glaister said she could not believe more families must go through the traumatic process of testing. Police also released an amended list of dates and locations, including for Papilio Early Learning in Essendon where the reported period of Brown's employment was extended by six months. Authorities no longer believe the accused worked at Papilio's site in Hoppers Crossing between August 22, 2024 and March 12, 2025. Families impacted by the date changes will be contacted by the health department from Tuesday. Establishing a complete work history for Brown has been a key focus of the police investigation. "This has been extremely complex due to childcare approved providers not having centralised records, requiring detectives to execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information," Victoria Police said. Since the charges came to light on July 1, police have received more than 270 Crime Stoppers reports. An Affinity Education Group spokeswoman said the company had reviewed records to provide information to police about Brown's work history. "We are deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families, no family should have to go through this," they said. It has been revealed Brown was the subject of two separate internal investigations in April 2023 and January 2024 at G8 Education, both unrelated to sexual abuse and occurring after the alleged incidents he was charged over. The investigations took place before his employment with Affinity Education Group, which stated it was unaware of the investigations. The two events were substantiated and reported to state authorities but Brown's working with children certificate remained in place. If the substantiated allegations had been flagged and his working with children check was revoked in 2024, Ms Glaister believes fewer children would have needed to be tested. "If the appropriate action had been taken, it's very likely there would be hundreds of parents right now that wouldn't be in the same situation," she said. A Victorian government spokeswoman said health and mental health support was being offered to families. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Hundreds more children face tests for infectious diseases after authorities discovered an alleged sex offender worked at four additional childcare centres. Victorian authorities are working to contact the families whose children attended the centres during Joshua Dale Brown's employment between August 2024 and February 2025. The newly listed locations are all operated by Affinity Education: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, and Milestones Early Learning centres in Tarneit, Greensborough and Braybrook. Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight children younger than two at a centre at Point Cook in Melbourne's southwest, between April 2022 and January 2023. Police believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, stretching from Williamstown to Sunbury. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath confirmed 830 additional families would be contacted, adding to the 1200 who have been urged to have precautionary testing. "This is obviously a highly distressing situation and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low," Dr McGrath said on Tuesday. Melody Glaister's daughter, now six, attended Creative Garden Early Learning Point Cook during Brown's employment at the centre. She had been anxiously awaiting the results of her daughter's test, which came back negative on Tuesday. "We're incredibly grateful and relieved as parents that our child is physically healthy but we are always going to wonder, did something happen to our child," Ms Glaister told AAP. Ms Glaister said she could not believe more families must go through the traumatic process of testing. Police also released an amended list of dates and locations, including for Papilio Early Learning in Essendon where the reported period of Brown's employment was extended by six months. Authorities no longer believe the accused worked at Papilio's site in Hoppers Crossing between August 22, 2024 and March 12, 2025. Families impacted by the date changes will be contacted by the health department from Tuesday. Establishing a complete work history for Brown has been a key focus of the police investigation. "This has been extremely complex due to childcare approved providers not having centralised records, requiring detectives to execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information," Victoria Police said. Since the charges came to light on July 1, police have received more than 270 Crime Stoppers reports. An Affinity Education Group spokeswoman said the company had reviewed records to provide information to police about Brown's work history. "We are deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families, no family should have to go through this," they said. It has been revealed Brown was the subject of two separate internal investigations in April 2023 and January 2024 at G8 Education, both unrelated to sexual abuse and occurring after the alleged incidents he was charged over. The investigations took place before his employment with Affinity Education Group, which stated it was unaware of the investigations. The two events were substantiated and reported to state authorities but Brown's working with children certificate remained in place. If the substantiated allegations had been flagged and his working with children check was revoked in 2024, Ms Glaister believes fewer children would have needed to be tested. "If the appropriate action had been taken, it's very likely there would be hundreds of parents right now that wouldn't be in the same situation," she said. A Victorian government spokeswoman said health and mental health support was being offered to families. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Hundreds more children face tests for infectious diseases after authorities discovered an alleged sex offender worked at four additional childcare centres. Victorian authorities are working to contact the families whose children attended the centres during Joshua Dale Brown's employment between August 2024 and February 2025. The newly listed locations are all operated by Affinity Education: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, and Milestones Early Learning centres in Tarneit, Greensborough and Braybrook. Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight children younger than two at a centre at Point Cook in Melbourne's southwest, between April 2022 and January 2023. Police believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, stretching from Williamstown to Sunbury. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath confirmed 830 additional families would be contacted, adding to the 1200 who have been urged to have precautionary testing. "This is obviously a highly distressing situation and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low," Dr McGrath said on Tuesday. Melody Glaister's daughter, now six, attended Creative Garden Early Learning Point Cook during Brown's employment at the centre. She had been anxiously awaiting the results of her daughter's test, which came back negative on Tuesday. "We're incredibly grateful and relieved as parents that our child is physically healthy but we are always going to wonder, did something happen to our child," Ms Glaister told AAP. Ms Glaister said she could not believe more families must go through the traumatic process of testing. Police also released an amended list of dates and locations, including for Papilio Early Learning in Essendon where the reported period of Brown's employment was extended by six months. Authorities no longer believe the accused worked at Papilio's site in Hoppers Crossing between August 22, 2024 and March 12, 2025. Families impacted by the date changes will be contacted by the health department from Tuesday. Establishing a complete work history for Brown has been a key focus of the police investigation. "This has been extremely complex due to childcare approved providers not having centralised records, requiring detectives to execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information," Victoria Police said. Since the charges came to light on July 1, police have received more than 270 Crime Stoppers reports. An Affinity Education Group spokeswoman said the company had reviewed records to provide information to police about Brown's work history. "We are deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families, no family should have to go through this," they said. It has been revealed Brown was the subject of two separate internal investigations in April 2023 and January 2024 at G8 Education, both unrelated to sexual abuse and occurring after the alleged incidents he was charged over. The investigations took place before his employment with Affinity Education Group, which stated it was unaware of the investigations. The two events were substantiated and reported to state authorities but Brown's working with children certificate remained in place. If the substantiated allegations had been flagged and his working with children check was revoked in 2024, Ms Glaister believes fewer children would have needed to be tested. "If the appropriate action had been taken, it's very likely there would be hundreds of parents right now that wouldn't be in the same situation," she said. A Victorian government spokeswoman said health and mental health support was being offered to families. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Hundreds more children face tests for infectious diseases after authorities discovered an alleged sex offender worked at four additional childcare centres. Victorian authorities are working to contact the families whose children attended the centres during Joshua Dale Brown's employment between August 2024 and February 2025. The newly listed locations are all operated by Affinity Education: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, and Milestones Early Learning centres in Tarneit, Greensborough and Braybrook. Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight children younger than two at a centre at Point Cook in Melbourne's southwest, between April 2022 and January 2023. Police believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, stretching from Williamstown to Sunbury. Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath confirmed 830 additional families would be contacted, adding to the 1200 who have been urged to have precautionary testing. "This is obviously a highly distressing situation and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low," Dr McGrath said on Tuesday. Melody Glaister's daughter, now six, attended Creative Garden Early Learning Point Cook during Brown's employment at the centre. She had been anxiously awaiting the results of her daughter's test, which came back negative on Tuesday. "We're incredibly grateful and relieved as parents that our child is physically healthy but we are always going to wonder, did something happen to our child," Ms Glaister told AAP. Ms Glaister said she could not believe more families must go through the traumatic process of testing. Police also released an amended list of dates and locations, including for Papilio Early Learning in Essendon where the reported period of Brown's employment was extended by six months. Authorities no longer believe the accused worked at Papilio's site in Hoppers Crossing between August 22, 2024 and March 12, 2025. Families impacted by the date changes will be contacted by the health department from Tuesday. Establishing a complete work history for Brown has been a key focus of the police investigation. "This has been extremely complex due to childcare approved providers not having centralised records, requiring detectives to execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information," Victoria Police said. Since the charges came to light on July 1, police have received more than 270 Crime Stoppers reports. An Affinity Education Group spokeswoman said the company had reviewed records to provide information to police about Brown's work history. "We are deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families, no family should have to go through this," they said. It has been revealed Brown was the subject of two separate internal investigations in April 2023 and January 2024 at G8 Education, both unrelated to sexual abuse and occurring after the alleged incidents he was charged over. The investigations took place before his employment with Affinity Education Group, which stated it was unaware of the investigations. The two events were substantiated and reported to state authorities but Brown's working with children certificate remained in place. If the substantiated allegations had been flagged and his working with children check was revoked in 2024, Ms Glaister believes fewer children would have needed to be tested. "If the appropriate action had been taken, it's very likely there would be hundreds of parents right now that wouldn't be in the same situation," she said. A Victorian government spokeswoman said health and mental health support was being offered to families. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
7NEWS
12-07-2025
- 7NEWS
Parents' horror after learning their daughter went to childcare where alleged abuser Joshua Brown worked in Melbourne
The public was outraged, an alleged child abuser was charged, and Melody and Hayden Glaister suddenly faced the unthinkable. Their daughter's former 'favourite educator' had been charged by police. His alleged offending against other children, at the same time their now six-year-old was in his care. The only child is one of the thousands of Melbourne children forced to be tested for sexually transmitted infections as a child who attended the Point Cook childcare centre. 'We had to sit her down and ask her if she recalls anyone at that centre ever touching her in an inappropriate way,' said Mrs Glaister. Brown, 26, was charged by Victoria Police earlier this month with more than 70 offences, including the sexual penetration of a child, and the production of child abuse material. His alleged victims have been identified in videos allegedly filmed by Brown, some, as young as five months old. When Hayden Glaister received a text message and email from authorities, he did an online search. Countless media articles and images of their daughter's educator popped up. 'He said, 'it's Josh',' said Mrs Glaister. 'He always wanted to be around the children, he was very bubbly, always smiling, always sort of gravitated towards the children.' Their daughter first attended the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook at six months old. In 2021 and 2022, Joshua Brown was her educator. 'He had offered to provide private babysitting services to us as well. It's something that will always haunt us now,' Mrs Glaister said. With two working parents, the then-three-year-old was booked at childcare from 8am until 6.30pm and was often the last child to be picked up. Mrs Glaister said she and her husband 'had issues with that centre, from a long way back'. They allege, on one occasion, they found their daughter unsupervised. 'When she started school we were incredibly grateful to get her out of that centre,' she said. Mrs Glaister said her daughter can't remember any inappropriate behaviour from the alleged offender. 'She's so innocent, kids are innocent,' Mrs Glaister said. Now, the family sit in a state of limbo, awaiting the results of her STI test. They plan to join a class action lawsuit lead by Shine Lawyers. 'These centres, hiding behind their policies and procedures, that they did the right thing. for so many parents right now, that's not enough, it's not enough' she said. Police have so far identified eight alleged victims. Jodie Willey, chief operating officer of Shine Lawyers, said the class action lawsuit will provide another avenue for 'indirect victims'. 'The heartbreaking reality is that there is a larger cohort of parents who will forever live with this uncertainty around what may or may not have occurred to their children' she said.
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cardiff rugby fans 'shocked and gutted' at club administration
Rugby fans have said they are "shocked and gutted" as one of Wales' top teams heads into an emergency meeting on Tuesday, Cardiff Rugby announced it intended to serve a notice of intent (NOI) to appoint an the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is in line for a takeover of the regional side, which is one of the four professional Welsh rugby union supporter said it was a big blow to fans who, just a few months ago, were feeling "proud" of the fact it appeared a "huge investment" for the club had been secured. An NOI is a formal document filed in court by a company or its directors, to inform parties the company intends to enter administration, a process aimed at rescuing a struggling business from Glaister, chairwoman of the CF10 Rugby Trust - an independent voice for supporters - said they were "shocked" and "gutted".Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Ms Glaister said "something has gone wrong" with the investment in the club agreed as part of last year's takeover by investment group Helford Capital added "questions have to be asked about that", reassuring members her organisation would do all it could "to ensure the survival of our great capital city club"."We now need to look to the future," she said."Cardiff Rugby has been around since 1876 and we need to ensure we are around for our 150 year anniversary and for many decades beyond." One supporter, Wyn Williams said fans were in a state of "shock and disappointment". "A few months ago we were all proud of the fact that a huge investment had come into the club. So this today has come as a big blow to us as a club," he told Newyddion S4C. Dr Huw Jones, former chief executive of Sport Wales, said the club's administration news was "very sad".Speaking to BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast programme, Mr Jones said he was concerned about the club's staff and coaches, adding: "It's a difficult time, we don't know what's going to happen with the administrator. "Maybe we will see changes in the club… but it is too soon to say that at the moment."He said it was "very important for the union to come in and help the club, because they have said that they want to see four professional rugby teams in Wales in order to see future developments".The other three professional regional sides in Wales are the Newport-based Dragons, the Swansea-based Ospreys and the Llanelli-based Scarlets. Mr Jones said "Cardiff is in the heart of the city" and claimed the club "get more fans than anything else", but said serious consideration needed to be given to the number of professional teams in Wales and their locations."There are fans who want to know what the situation is," he added."Why were Helford appointed in the first place, and what were the recommendations from the board after the due diligence was done? "And also what has been happening over the past year regarding their financial contribution?" The concerns surrounding the due diligence done ahead of the takeover were echoed by Alex Bywater, rugby reporter for the Daily Mail newspaper, who said there were "serious questions" to be answered and he did not see how the club's current leadership team could remain in post with an "imminent" WRU takeover added: "It really does sort of muddy the waters a little bit. "Some people have said this is the opportunity to go down to three regions or whatever but, for me, not having professional rugby in Cardiff, it's unthinkable."So I don't think that that will happen."Looking to the future, Dr Edward Jones senior lecturer in economics at Bangor University, said asking the club's management team to take a pay cut, "to show that they believe there is a future for the club", would be the first course of action."If they don't do that, I suppose it will be over for Cardiff Rugby club in their current form," he said."Then they will have to look if it is possible to save money in other areas of the club, and how they can restructure the club."Meanwhile, Cardiff Students' Union said it had moved its Welsh Varsity rugby fixtures on Wednesday to the Principality Stadium next door "due to exceptional circumstances".The annual men's and women's rugby matches between Cardiff and Swansea universities alternate between the two cities each year."All Welsh Varsity Rugby tickets will remain valid and the fixture times remain unchanged," it said. Analysis - Cennydd Davies, BBC Sport Wales commentator The first thing to say is how sad it is to see a global brand like Cardiff in difficulties. But it is a difficult situation, a very complicated situation. We believe that the union will take the reins, but for how long? The only precedent for this is what happened to the Dragons, but that ownership by the union continued for six years. The other question is whether there are individuals and private companies who will be ready to finance and ensure that there is money flowing through the coffers here. But I believe that this is part of a wider picture, not limited to Wales, and it shows the huge problems facing the sport across the [the union] will try to keep contracts and pay players' wages. It's a headache - it's the last thing they want to see. There are so many difficulties facing the Welsh Rugby Union at the moment. And, in addition, we still haven't received the long-awaited report regarding the way forward, the way to run the professional sport in Wales, which is supposed to take us to 2029. That is based on four regional teams, there are big questions now if that will happen.
