Action Call on Background Checks

By Patrick Billings
The Examiner
November 4, 2013

http://www.examiner.com.au/story/1884144/action-call-on-background-checks/?cs=94

TASMANIA'S parents and friends association wants past disciplinary action, including non-convictions, to feature in a national background- check system.

In a submission to the Royal Commission into child sex abuse the association called for information such as being excluded from working with children to be included in the checks.

The association also backed the establishment of an Australia-wide working with children check.

Association president Jenny Eddington said a national screening system would be more uniform, convenient and robust.

She said it wasn't unusual to find Tasmanians involved in the youth sector to be carrying up to five or more types of authorisation allowing them to work with children.

Under a national system this could be reduced to a single card valid in all jurisdictions.

Unlike most states Tasmania is yet to have mandated background checks for people working or volunteering with children.

The state government has previously signalled it would introduce a bill this month requiring screening of volunteers or workers involved with children and vulnerable people.

The association also wants juvenile criminal convictions for violence or sexual offending unsealed during background checks.

In its submission to the Royal Commission, the Australian Lawyers Alliance has slammed the Catholic Church's response to child abuse as failing to respond to victims' needs.

The alliance, headed by Hobart- based barrister Greg Barns, said the church's Towards Healing program was "designed primarily for the church, not victims".

"The failure to report abuse to police has been systemic, and to date, no one has been charged ... for failing to report abuse to police," the submission said.

"In addition, the Catholic Church cannot be sued in Australia as a legal entity, which is unique in the common law world."