Daniel’s Law Goes Live: Queensland’s Child Sex Offender Register Revealed in Honour of Slain Teen Daniel Morcombe
- Queensland’s first public child sex offender register is now live, with zero non-compliant reportable offenders listed on launch day
- The register, dubbed Daniel’s Law, allows Queenslanders to search for reportable sex offenders in their local area and apply to view images of those with the “greatest risk” of reoffending
- Parents and guardians can also apply to find out if someone having unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender, with safeguards in place to prevent vigilantism and harassment
Queenslanders can now access a public register of child sex offenders, in a move hailed as a major victory for child safety advocates. The register, dubbed Daniel’s Law in honour of slain teenager Daniel Morcombe, went live on Wednesday morning, with Police Minister Dan Purdie declaring it a “major milestone” in the state’s efforts to protect young people.
Daniel Morcombe, a 13-year-old Sunshine Coast boy, was abducted and murdered by a convicted sex offender in December 2003. His parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe, have been tireless advocates for child safety since their son’s tragic death, and have welcomed the launch of the register.
The register consists of three key elements, including a webpage that lists reportable offenders who have failed to comply with reporting obligations or whose whereabouts are unknown. Members of the public can access this information, including the offender’s full name, photograph, and year of birth, once they agree not to misuse it.
Queenslanders can also apply to view images of reportable sex offenders who live in their local area, with the government saying this will apply to offenders with the “greatest risk” of reoffending. This includes those who have reporting obligations for life, as well as those subject to a supervision order under the Dangerous Prisoners Sexual Offenders Act.
Parents and guardians can also apply to find out if someone having unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender, with applicants required to provide Medicare card details that list the child or children as part of the application.
Police Minister Dan Purdie encouraged Queenslanders to use the register to “put protective strategies in place to protect our young people”. He also reassured the public that the register had the capacity to withstand an influx of inquiries, with additional staff available to support its operation.
The opposition spokesperson for police, Glenn Butcher, said Labor supported measures to keep Queensland children “safe from predators”, and welcomed the launch of the register.
But the register also includes safeguards aimed at stopping vigilantism and prohibiting people from targeting offenders. Those who misuse information provided on the register to intimidate or harass an offender, or incite someone to do so, face up to 10 years behind bars.
The register can be accessed on the Queensland Government’s Community Protection and Public Child Sex Offender Register website.