Daniel’s Law strengthens child protection

THE QUEENSLAND Government has introduced landmark legislation to Queensland Parliament, delivering the State’s first public child sex offender register and reinforcing its commitment to making Queensland safer.

Daniel’s Law will establish the Community Protection and Child Sex Offender Public Register, allowing parents and guardians access to vital information to better protect their children.

The Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Committee for review before returning to Parliament, with the Government aiming for the law to be passed before the end of the year.

Premier David Crisafulli said Daniel’s Law represented an important step towards restoring safety in communities across Queensland.

“We are equipping parents with information to make decisions for the safety and wellbeing of their kids,” Premier Crisafulli said.

For too long, convicted predators have been allowed to hide right under the noses of Queensland families.

What happened to Daniel Morcombe was a tragedy that rocked our State but now Daniel’s Law will help protect children who can’t protect themselves.

“While no system will ever be perfect, we want to give parents the best possible chance to protect their children. We are putting the rights of victims and parents ahead of the rights of offenders.”

The public register is the next phase of the Making Queensland Safer Laws and is modelled closely on the proven West Australian system established in 2012.

It creates a three-tiered disclosure framework to provide information in a controlled and safe manner.

Tier 1 is a publicly available website listing reportable offenders who have failed to comply with their obligations or whose whereabouts are unknown to police. This tier will display the offender’s full name, photograph, and year of birth. Members of the public must agree not to misuse the information.

Tier 2 allows Queensland residents to apply online to view photographs of reportable offenders living in their local area, while

Tier 3 enables parents and guardians to confirm whether a particular person who has had, or will have, unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender.

Reportable offences are defined in the Child Protection Act 2004 and include crimes such as grooming a child under 16, indecent treatment of a child, and making or distributing child exploitation material.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the introduction of Daniel’s Law marked one of the most significant reforms to child safety laws in Queensland’s history.

“Daniel’s Law is about giving parents, carers and communities the power to make informed choices to protect their children,” Minister Purdie said.

“This scheme is about transparency, accountability, and ensuring that the worst repeat offenders cannot hide in the shadows. We promised to deliver Daniel’s Law and we’re doing just that.”

Daniel’s Law is named in honour of Sunshine Coast teenager Daniel Morcombe, whose life was tragically taken in 2003.

The law follows two decades of advocacy by his parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, and through the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.

Bruce and Denise said the introduction of the law was the culmination of years of campaigning for stronger child protection measures.

“We are deeply proud that Daniel’s name will live on through this legislation, giving parents across Queensland the ability to better protect their children,” they said.

“Daniel’s legacy is one of safety and awareness, and Daniel’s Law will ensure that continues.”

The Queensland Government has already taken steps to strengthen child protection, including fast-tracking a reportable conduct scheme to start in July 2026, reviewing the Blue Card system, and launching a Child Safety Commission of Inquiry.

By introducing Daniel’s Law within its first ten months in office, the Government has moved to implement a key election commitment aimed at strengthening child safety and prioritising the rights of victims and children.