Australia FINALLY Gives Parents Access to Sex Offender Registry: Here’s How It Works

Queensland will launch a public register of child sex offenders this December, giving parents access to the names, photos, and birth years of convicted predators. The move, known as Daniel’s Law, aims to provide greater protection for children.

The new laws passed the Queensland Parliament this week, fulfilling a key election promise by the Crisafulli Liberal government. The law is named after 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted while waiting for a bus in 2003 and murdered.

The register will operate under a three-tier system. It will allow Queenslanders to access a searchable database and request images of offenders living in their area. Details of offenders who fail to report or whose locations are unknown will also be publicly available.

Parents can apply to police to find out if someone who has unsupervised contact with their child is a registered offender. Queensland Police will manage the system, with safeguards to prevent misuse of the information.

Premier David Crisafulli said the law is designed to help parents protect children.

“Families previously had no idea if convicted predators were living on their street or even next door, but the days of monsters hiding in plain sight are now over,” he said.

“Monsters cannot be allowed to lurk in the darkness. Daniel’s Law will help protect children who can’t protect themselves. Everything we do is about driving down the number of victims of crime and this will help prevent innocent children falling prey to predators.”

Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, hope the register will be introduced nationwide.

“It’s surreal knowing that Daniel’s name is out there, it’s a law in his name, and hopefully it will save other children,” Denise Morcombe told the Courier Mail.

“Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland are on board, and Tasmania is moving in that direction very soon. I would be surprised if, 12 months from now, Daniel’s Law or a publicly accessible child sex offender register is not national.”

The proposal has faced some controversy. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope warned the law could cause harm.

“Offenders’ names are often concealed to protect their victims. The first people likely to be harmed by publishing these names are the victims themselves, who may be identified,” he said.

Cope also cautioned that laws focusing on stranger danger might create a false sense of security and do little to protect children from offenders they already know. He noted that public registries like Megan’s Law in the U.S. have had mixed results in reducing repeat offenses.

How the register will work:

1. Tier 1: Most serious offenders. Includes those under supervision after prison, anyone who breaches reporting rules, or whose location is unknown. Listings will show a photo, ID number, name, year of birth, and distinctive markings. The Police Commissioner decides what information is published.
2. Tier 2: High-risk offenders in your suburb. Includes repeat offenders, those with lifelong reporting requirements, and anyone under supervision. The Commissioner can add others who pose significant risk.
3. Tier 3: Parents and guardians can request information about specific individuals.

Daniel’s Law marks a major step in child protection, giving parents more tools to safeguard their children and hold offenders accountable.

Featured image via Youtube screengrab