September 18, 2025
The State Government has tightened Blue Card laws which will require more people working with children to be registered.
From Saturday (September 20), changes to Queensland’s Working With Children legislation will require people working in the entertainment and amusement park industries, sports, churches and clubs, educational services and the legal profession to hold Blue Cards.
The changes also set out new rules for parent volunteers and introduce new self-disclosure requirements.
A simpler framework to disqualify Blue Card holders has also been introduced.
Compliance powers have been strengthened and a new suspension power will allow Blue Card to take immediate action when notified of a risk to the safety of children.
Transitional arrangements will be in place to give workers and organisations currently working in affected industries time to meet the new requirements.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said the protection of vulnerable Queenslanders was a priority for the State Government.
“Parents want absolute confidence that everything possible is being done to keep their children safe when they drop them at sports clubs, birthday parties, or amusement parks,” she said.
Footnote: During the past 12 months, 1,029,960 people in Queensland held Blue Cards, 3712 people were prevented from working with children and 758 Blue Cards were cancelled or suspended.
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A new “position of authority” criminal offence will also be coming into effect which will provide stronger protections for children aged 16 or 17 from sexual interactions with adults who have them under their care, supervision or authority.
The offence aims to deter adults who abuse their position of power or influence to commit sexual acts. It will protect young people over the age of consent but still under 18 years.
Offenders convicted of this offence will face a maximum penalty of 14 years’ jail.
The existing offence of “repeated sexual conduct with a child” will extend to adults in positions of care, supervision or authority with 16 or 17-year-olds, carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Protections for victims of sexual violence will also be strengthened, with non-contact orders extended from two to five years and the maximum penalty for breaches increased to three years’ imprisonment (or 120 penalty units), bringing them into line with domestic and family violence orders.
