‘Measure of failure’: $20m inquiry slams Queensland child safety crisis

Queensland’s child safety inquiry has called for sweeping overhauls of what it described as a failing state system, including controversial shifts to adoption practices and state-run out-of-home care.

The $20 million commission of inquiry under Paul Anastassiou, a Crisafulli government election vow, handed its report to government on May 22. Wednesday’s release sparked immediate political attacks.

Tabled in parliament, the report’s executive summary describes the mere fact of the roughly 13,500 children in care in Queensland as of March last year – more than any other state – as a “measure of failure”.

“Perhaps the most striking feature of Queensland’s child protection system is that it has been interrogated, analysed and commented upon intensely over the last several decades,” Anastassiou wrote, noting the three other inquiries since 1999.

“And yet, despite the best endeavours of all concerned, individually and collectively, the child protection system continues to fail children and the community in serious respects.

“Against this background, this commission regards its overarching duty as being to ascertain, and help overcome, the forces that continue to repel attempts to initiate and entrench reform.”

After 50 hearing days, the inquiry’s almost 1400-page report lays out 52 recommendations, including reform of the $1-billion-a-year residential care system, which was found to be too heavily relied on by the state.

That system, delivered by non-government providers, is used for children who are deemed unable to remain with their parents, other family members, or be adopted.

Within it, the report found roughly two-thirds of reported sexual abuse incidents took place, describing a targeted strategy for girls in out-of-home care as both “necessary and overdue”.

Some of the report’s other recommendations include consideration by the state of becoming a residential care provider, and removing the need for adoption to be a last resort for First Nations children.

There are serious reforms that would see quite significant changes across several departments.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington

The report noted this recommendation comes despite “strong submissions from First Nations stakeholders against adoption”.

Despite submissions raising concerns about structural racism driving the over-representation of First Nations children in the child safety system, the report says the inquiry “has not found evidence” racism was behind decisions to remove children from their families.

Also among the report’s calls are a complete redesign of the Child Safety Department, and a permanent reform office to oversee the recommended changes.

While not a recommendation of the report, Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm told parliament on Wednesday afternoon that she intended to have no children under the age of five in residential care.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington tabled the report in parliament on Wednesday, with reporters having only minutes to read it before she held a brief media conference with Camm.

Frecklington spoke to only one of the recommendations, committing to immediately set up a new cabinet subcommittee so the government can consider the recommendations as a whole.

Previously, she’d said the inquiry’s deadline had been brought forward from its original November date so its calls could be fed into the budget process.

On Wednesday, Frecklington suggested the government would take two months to consider its approach. The state budget will be handed down in three weeks, on June 23.

“There are serious reforms that would see quite significant changes across several departments,” Frecklington said. “So, it is important that we give it the due respect … that is required.”

Both Frecklington and Camm noted the size of the report and time needed to consider it, but said it showed serious failures by the former Labor government.

Both committed to taking further questions about the report on Thursday.

In a brief media conference of their own, the Labor opposition called on the government to accept and implement all recommendations.

Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick pointed to the fact that departmental data provided to the inquiry showed a major drop-off in the number of 24-hour priority response investigations commenced on time.

These fell from 96 per cent in 2021-22 to 44 per cent from April 2025 to March 2026. Similar drop-offs occurred for five-day and 10-day priority investigations.

Dick noted this coincided with the problematic rollout of the new Unify IT system last year.

“No wonder the government wanted this commission of inquiry shut down,” he said. “They didn’t want Unify examined by the commission.”

Opposition Leader Steven Miles called on Premier David Crisafulli to sack Camm from her role, suggesting she was “too distracted” to manage the significant response to the report amid questions about her relationship with cabinet colleague Tim Mander.

“It’s time for the premier to act to appoint a minister with the focus and ability to lead these reforms,” Miles said.

Major stakeholders including the Queensland Family and Child Commission, the Queensland Council of Social Services, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak, and PeakCare, were still considering the report on Wednesday afternoon.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.