Queensland Protection Commission: A Major New Safeguarding Development

Queensland Protection Commission: A Major New Safeguarding Development

Queensland is taking a significant step towards strengthening child safeguarding with the introduction of the Queensland Protection Commission Bill 2026 (Bill). Introduced into Parliament on 26 August 2026, the Bill proposes the establishment of the Queensland Protection Commission (QPC), a new centralised body responsible for safeguarding children, young people and other vulnerable people.

The proposed reform forms part of the Queensland Government’s response to the In Plain Sight: Review into System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Review), which made 28 recommendations aimed at strengthening leadership, organisational practice, information sharing, accountability and responses to child sexual abuse.

If passed, the QPC is proposed to commence on 1 February 2027, and would become Queensland’s first dedicated child and vulnerable person safeguarding entity.

What is the Queensland Protection Commission?

The proposed QPC is designed to bring several important safeguarding functions together rather than having them operate in separate systems.

Under the Bill, the QPC would have responsibility for oversight of the child protection system, systemic analysis of policies and practices, promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and vulnerable people, and facilitating information sharing to support the early identification of risks.

The proposed QPC would also bring together key safeguarding functions currently operating across different areas of government, including:

• the Reportable Conduct Scheme;
•  the Child Safe Standards;
•  the Working with Children Check (Blue Card) Scheme; and
•  the Disability Worker Screening Scheme.

This is intended to reduce information silos and create a more coordinated approach to identifying and responding to risks.

Why Has the Reform Been Introduced?

The reform follows the Queensland Government’s response to the Review, which identified the need for stronger system-wide approaches to preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.

The Government’s response, released in June 2026, committed to establishing a dedicated child safeguarding agency and creating a Child Safeguarding Intelligence Hub to identify emerging risks and patterns of concerning behaviour.

The proposed Intelligence Hub is particularly significant because safeguarding is not only about responding to individual incidents. Effective safeguarding also requires organisations and regulators to identify patterns, share relevant information and intervene before harm escalates.

What Does This Mean for Organisations?

The proposed QPC will strengthen oversight and coordination across Queensland’s safeguarding system. For organisations working with children and vulnerable people, this means safeguarding obligations are likely to receive greater regulatory attention, with increased emphasis on prevention, information sharing, accountability and effective organisational responses.

Organisations should not wait until the proposed QPC commences to review their safeguarding arrangements. Organisations should take steps now to assess whether existing systems are practical, effective, and aligned with current legal obligations. This should include reviewing:

• Child Safe Standards implementation;
• Reportable Conduct Scheme procedures;
• complaints, disclosures and reporting processes;
• worker screening and recruitment practices;
• safeguarding policies and codes of conduct;
• investigation and response procedures;
• information-sharing and record-keeping processes;
• risk management and escalation pathways; and
• Board and leadership oversight of safeguarding.

The key message for organisations is that compliance should not be treated as a one-off exercise. Safeguarding needs to be embedded into governance, culture, policies, and everyday practice. As Queensland’s safeguarding framework continues to evolve, organisations need practical systems that meet their legal obligations and effectively protect children and vulnerable people.

How Can Safe Space Legal Help?

At Safe Space Legal, we have extensive experience working with organisations in Queensland, and across Australia, to strengthen their safeguarding frameworks and meet their legal obligations.

Safe Space Legal provides the following services to ensure organisations meet their legal obligations:

• Drafting legally sound policies, procedures, and codes of conduct;
• Providing policy audits and developing safeguarding policies, procedures, and complaint handing processes;
• Providing root cause analysis to identify gaps in policy and/or practice which put
  organisations at risk of non-compliance with their sector-specific obligations;
• Conducting safeguarding investigations which are compliant with relevant state and territory legislation and regulations;
• Delivering tailored safeguarding training to ensure organisations are aware of their sector-specific requirements and obligations;
• Ensuring that complaints handling and reporting processes are compliant with legal obligations;
• Provide sound legal advice on risk mitigation.

Contact office@safespacelegal.com.au or call (03) 9124 7321 to organise a complementary discussion in relation to your organisation’s child safety and safeguarding needs.