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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.'
7NEWS
09-07-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Childcare operator G8 Education to install CCTV cameras at more than 400 centres
A major childcare operator will put CCTV cameras into more than 400 centres following the alleged sexual abuse of children by a male childcare worker. Horrific allegations against Joshua Dale Brown, 26, were made public last week when police revealed he had been charged with more than 70 sex offences involving eight children at a centre in Melbourne's west. Brown worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, including several operated by G8 Education. In an announcement released to the ASX on Tuesday, managing director and chief executive Pejman Okhovat said the allegations were 'deeply disturbing'. 'I am deeply sorry for the unimaginable pain caused to our families and what they are going through,' he said. 'Our primary focus right now is on supporting all families who are impacted, as well as our team members in Victoria. My team and I have met personally with families in Victoria and will continue to be available. 'We have also provided confidential counselling and support through G8 Education's dedicated provider.' The childcare operator said it had already been trialling CCTV in several of its centres but will now accelerate the roll-out to all centres. It will also conduct an independent review to 'inform further changes and improvements to our child safety procedures within the organisation'. The ASX-listed company lost more than $170 million in value since the allegations were aired. A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare giant, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options. More than 1200 children at the centres where Brown worked have been recommended to undergo testing for serious sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis. Brown's victims were aged between five months and two-years-old and his charges include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12 and producing child abuse material. He is also accused of using his bodily fluids to contaminate children's food. According to a United Workers Union survey, most childcare educators work in understaffed facilities and fear the safety of infants is at risk over the frequent use of a staff-to-child ratio 'loophole'. Of the 2000 childcare workers questioned, more than half were concerned that for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education. More than three quarters of educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day. Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements. 'Educators tell us that what was supposed to be a commonsense stop-gap for changes that occur at centres through the day has become an over-used staffing loophole,' the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said. '(It is) entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms'. She claimed the system fails workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and funding for the sector. 'Widespread understaffing and a lack of inclusion support staff impacts the level of care children receive,' she said. An anonymous worker from Victoria told the survey they 'can't even guarantee the safety of the children and myself'. 'I feel sad, unsafe and stressful every day,' they said.
Perth Now
08-07-2025
- Perth Now
Childcare workers sound alarm over safety concerns
Most childcare educators work in understaffed facilities and fear the safety of infants is at risk over the frequent use of a staff-to-child ratio "loophole". That's according to a union survey of 2000 childcare workers, with more than half concerned that for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education. Allegations of child sex abuse from a former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown sent shockwaves through the industry, with the 26-year-old charged with more than 70 sex offences involving eight children at a centre in Melbourne's west. He was arrested in May and it was revealed he worked at 20 childcare facilities across Melbourne from 2017 to 2025. The accusations sharpened focus on centre safety and sparked calls for reform, with a state government review underway in addition to a criminal investigation by police. More than three quarters of educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day, according to a United Workers Union survey conducted before the allegations became public. Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements. "Educators tell us that what was supposed to be a common sense stop gap for changes that occur at centres through the day has become an over-used staffing loophole," the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said. "(It is) entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms". She claimed the system fails workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and funding for the sector. "Widespread understaffing and a lack of inclusion support staff impacts the level of care children receive," she said. An anonymous worker from Victoria told the survey they "can't even guarantee the safety of the children and myself." "I feel sad, unsafe and stressful every day," they said. Major childcare operator G8 Education will put CCTV cameras into more than 400 centres following Brown's alleged sexual abuse of children and order an independent review once criminal proceedings are finalised. "These allegations are deeply disturbing, and our hearts go out to the children and families involved," chief executive Pejman Okhovat said. "I am deeply sorry for the unimaginable pain caused to our families and what they are going through." The ASX-listed company lost more than $170 million in value since the allegations were aired. A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare giant, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options. Some 2600 families and carers who had children at the centres where Brown worked have been sent letters and more than 1200 children recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases.
ABC News
08-07-2025
- ABC News
77 per cent of childcare workers operating below safety requirements, union survey finds
More concerns have been raised about safety at childcare centres, with three-quarters of workers telling a survey their place of work was operating below minimum staffing levels at least weekly. The United Workers Union survey of 2,100 childcare workers also found that 42 per cent of workers said their centre was operating below minimum staffing levels on a daily basis. The findings come after the charging of a Melbourne childcare worker with more than 70 offences, including sexual assault, and a long-running ABC investigation revealed examples of profit being placed above care. "While examining the tragic events revealed in Melbourne last week, we also need to understand the alarm that is being sounded by educators," UWU early education director Carolyn Smith said. "Workers report children are left without emotional support, without adequate supervision to stop them hurting themselves or others, and without appropriate education." The union survey was conducted before the Melbourne childcare worker was charged. "I can't even guarantee the safety of the children and myself. I feel sad, unsafe and stressful every day," a Victorian worker told the survey. Do you have a story to share? Email The for-profit operyators that dominate the childcare sector pay staff less and rely more on casual workers, an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigation in 2023 found. "Partly because of understaffing, we see a real churn of staff moving through centres, and that's when we don't have that safe, quality environment we need," Ms Smith said. The issues highlighted in the ABC investigation echo the UWU survey, which revealed the top four concerns of educators. Preeti Soodan, a Melbourne educator at a large for-profit provider, told ABC News childcare workers had too many demands placed on them, including cleaning and administration. "There are many challenges we face during the day. We keep changing the hats; we are educators, we are leaders, we are supervising the children, we have many responsibilities with documentation," Ms Soodan said. "We don't only educate them, we have to wipe the tables, clean them, support them emotionally. Throughout our day, we are always juggling." Ms Soodan is a trained primary school teacher with more than a decade's experience working in Australia and India. She said workers were treated as "glorified babysitters" rather than educators. "The neuroscience tells us that 90 per cent of the brain develops till the age of five, so you can understand how precious this profession is," Ms Soodan said. The UWU survey revealed 83 per cent of workers agreed a common staffing loophole called the "under the roof" ratio was used by centres and compromised the wellbeing of children. Ratios are designed to ensure a minimum of staff are present at all times to supervise children but the numbers of workers required in each room varies according to the age of the children. Some staff count all workers "under the roof" rather than numbers in individual rooms required under the National Quality Framework (NQF) and state-based regulators. "Educators tell us that what was supposed to be a commonsense stopgap for changes that occur at centres through the day, has become an overused staffing loophole, entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms," Ms Smith said. Even where ratios were being met, staff reported an increase in children with additional needs meant safety was still being compromised. "We always work with the correct ratio, but the increase of children with higher needs is making current ratios completely inappropriate," a New South Wales educator told the union survey. Federal Minister for Early Childhood Education Senator Jess Walsh said the survey results were "very concerning". "Providers must meet minimum staffing levels to provide safe, quality early education and care," she said. "We will work with educators and their union to address the concerns raised in this survey." The minister said the government last year agreed to spend $3.6 billion to give childcare workers a pay rise and job vacancies were falling in the sector. The Australian Childcare Alliance, a lobby group representing for-profit providers, said its members had been working with government to improve attraction and retention of workers. "We are unable to comment on a survey with no oversight of the detail included in the data," a spokesperson said. "The sector is rightfully expected to comply with the regulations and National Quality Framework at all times. This is non-negotiable."
Perth Now
04-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
No star review for 'insulting' casino workers pay offer
Workers will take protected industrial action against a casino operator for the first time after an "insulting" pay offer. Hundreds of staff will on Friday protest outside the Star at Queen's Wharf in Brisbane after voting against the company's offer. Union representatives say the deal short-changes workers on wages and conditions after they have shown unwavering support to the struggling venue. "They're taking that action in response to what's been an insulting offer from the company," United Workers Union national president Jo Schofield said. "They've shown a commitment to this company and loyalty over what's been an incredibly tumultuous period." A four per cent pay offer is on the table for workers with cuts to Sunday penalty rates, Ms Schofield said. It leaves workers behind other casino operators across Australia, the union said. Kaine Kennedy is a bartender at the casino and is paid 60 cents above the minimum wage, with the same job at the Star Sydney paying $2 more per hour. "That's the kind of discrepancy we're talking about," he told reporters. "The offer that's coming from the company right now is one that leaves our wages below pre-COVID levels ... in real terms, and if you account for inflation, it won't even catch us up with what we were getting paid in 2021. "It's just totally unacceptable." A spokesperson for The Star said the group is doing "everything possible" to secure future financial security for its workers, customers, suppliers, investors and other stakeholders. "The Star Brisbane has been in long and challenging EA negotiations with unions," the spokesperson said. "We have been flexible, diligent and measured in making an offer that adds wage growth for team members whilst absolutely stretching the financials of the business. "We are disappointed that Protected Industrial Action will be taken - as this action impacts all visitors that arrive at The Star Brisbane seeking memorable hospitality experiences." Brisbane's flagship casino has around 2000 workers. It is owned by Star Entertainment Group, which was in April saved from entering administration by a $300 million rescue package from US gaming giant Bally's Corporation. Throughout Star's financial woes, the Queensland government has routinely said its focus is on workers at the Brisbane casino.
