Act now to protect our kids

AS YOU read this there are 5421 people in Queensland working with children without the key monitoring system for adults working with youth – a Blue Card.

It’s a number that will strike fear into the hearts of parents across the state.

A teacher’s aide who was given fulltime employment while his application for a Blue Card was being processed stands accused of showing Townsville primary school students a naked photo of himself.

It is understood he worked in the job for five months without the Blue Card.

Given that this incident has highlighted even the potential risk of these adults working with children without the necessary safeguards, to allow it to continue is utterly negligent.

We implore the State Government to immediately rectify this situation.

The thought that one child might be harmed while we knowingly ignored the primary check we have for adults working with children is not acceptable.

Education Minister Kate Jones finally contacted the families at the centre of this scandal yesterday and said sorry.

It took her nearly a month and a number of articles in the

before she reached out to them. But her apology, if these allegations are found to be true, is cold comfort to the children potentially traumatised when they should have been in a safe place and the families who are left trying to pick up the pieces. Her words are nothing more than lip service if they aren’t followed by immediate action.

Each day that passes is another opportunity for a wolf in sheep’s clothing to prey on our children.

The families say all adults currently working with children and awaiting a Blue Card should be stood down until they have been given the tick.

They say Ms Jones answered their request for a phone call but that’s all she answered.

Kate, what if it were your kids? Would you stand idly by for days, weeks or until after the election?