Source : Perth Now news
Every thirty seconds, a concerned parent and carer visited the Daniel’s Law website, the landmark child sex offender public registry.
Since its launch, the online website has given parents and carers access to vital information about convicted child sex offenders in Queensland – and the numbers are staggering.
One of the most significant reforms to child safety laws in Queensland’s history, the Community Protection and Child Sex Offender Public Register – also known as Danie’s Law – came online in December.
In a little over two months, the online platform has been accessed more than 205,000 times, with a new visitor clicking through every 30 seconds.
“We promised reforms to make our community safer and that is exactly what Daniel’s Law is delivering,” Premier David Crisafulli said.
“It’s still early days but these results are already proving having this knowledge gives parents and police the power to act.”
The scheme includes three levels of information designed to protect children.
Tier one is a publicly searchable website listing offenders who’ve vanished, failed to comply with their obligations and whose whereabouts are unknown.
Their full name, photograph and year of birth are available to anyone willing to agree not to misuse the information.
Tier two lets residents apply to view photographs of registered offenders living in their local area.
Tier three allows parents and guardians to apply to check if a specific person with unsupervised access to their child is a reportable offender.
It is a criminal offence to misuse information from the registry, including engaging in vigilantism.
The registry is named in honour of Daniel Morcombe, the Sunshine Coast schoolboy whose abduction and murder in 2003 devastated a state.
His parents refused to let their son’s death be in vain and have become prominent child safety advocates.
Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, who founded the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, celebrated 21 years at the annual Dance For Daniel, a fundraising event supporting “a safer world for children.”
“A law is a law, but a law that makes a difference is truly something that we value.” Mr Morcombe said to their crowd of supporters on Saturday night,” Mr Morcombe said.
“To have it named in honour of our son is truly something special because it is making a difference, it’s protecting Queensland’s kids.
“We owe this to Daniel, to his family, and to every Queensland child who deserves to grow up safe.” Premier Crisafulli said.
