Queensland to Launch $250 Million Agency to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse

The Queensland government is launching a new agency with a $250 million investment to bolster child protection and combat sexual abuse, prompted by a critical review that highlighted systemic failures in preventing the offenses of notorious child sex offender Ashley Paul Griffith.

“

He was able to get away with it. That's why we must not repeat the failures of the past.

The Child Death Review Board's report identified over 18 points where Griffith's crimes could have been detected or stopped earlier. Griffith, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2024 with a non-parole period of 27 years, pleaded guilty to more than 300 charges involving offenses committed in childcare centers in Brisbane and Italy over nearly two decades.

Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington announced the establishment of the Queensland Protection Commission, which will serve as a central point for leadership, coordination, and accountability in child safety. The review, commissioned by the government, used Griffith's offending as a case study over 10 months to examine system responses to child sexual abuse.

“

Resulting in threats detected earlier, offenders disrupted and Queensland children made safer.

Frecklington stated that improved information sharing measures, like those the new commission will implement, would have led to Griffith's offending being identified sooner. "He was able to get away with it," she said. "That's why we must not repeat the failures of the past." The commission aims to ensure that knowledge gained in one area readily informs decisions in others, thereby improving accountability and clarity, and ultimately making children safer.

“

We believe that while chasing crime is a priority, protecting our children is a non-negotiable.

Starting in February 2027, the commission will be supported by an intelligence hub from March 2028. This hub will collect and analyze data from various departments and agencies to identify patterns of concern and abuse, "eliminate the risk of child offending before it becomes harm," Frecklington said. The initiative directly addresses the report's findings on disaggregated information sharing and over-reliance on threshold-based interventions.

“

The hub will collect, analyse, connect and act on vital pieces of intelligence across agencies and sectors to eliminate the risk of child offending before it becomes harm.