Continuous national criminal history capability to connect with South Australia in next stage of rollout
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Attorney-General
The Hon Tony Burke MP
Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Minister for Cyber Security
Minister for the Arts
Leader of the House
The Hon Katrine Hildyard MP
Minister for Human Services in South Australia
Joint media release
The Albanese Government's National Continuous Checking Capability (NCCC) is entering the next stage of its rollout, connecting with South Australia's Department of Human Services on Monday.
Once fully operational, this system will provide continuous, near real-time monitoring of national changes to criminal history information on Working with Children Check (WWCC) holders, helping keep our children and young people safe.
This means if a WWCC holder in one state or territory commits an offence in another jurisdiction, that information will be made available nationally in near real time, allowing states and territories to determine whether the WWCC needs to be reassessed.
National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) worker screening units will also be able to use the near real-time information provided by the NCCC to make decisions about NDIS worker screening check holders.
Backed by a $37 million Commonwealth investment, the NCCC pilot already has access to information about Commonwealth and ACT offences after it became available to states and territories for onboarding in December last year.
With South Australia's Department of Human Services beginning to receive information from the NCCC pilot on Monday, the focus will turn to ensuring the remaining state and territory agencies onboard as quickly as practicable, with police forces also expected to join in 2027.
Progress on the NCCC pilot forms an important part of this Government's reforms to strengthen WWCC schemes under the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG) Agreement and follows all states and territories having passed legislation by August, giving effect to ‘banned in one, banned in all'. That means if someone is denied a WWCC in one jurisdiction they are denied a WWCC in all jurisdictions.
This work forms part of the Government's broader efforts to prevent harm and abuse, including through the development of a Second Action Plan under the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021–2030.
Find out more in the National Strategy Second Action Plan on the Attorney-General's Department's National Office for Child Safety website.
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP
"Today marks another significant step in our collective efforts to keep our children safe, and the government welcomes South Australia's efforts to join the NCCC.
"Under the Albanese Government's leadership, all jurisdictions are working to implement vital reforms and systems that close loopholes and generate greater information sharing across Australia.
"The NCCC will provide states and territories access to a person's national criminal history in near real time, meaning WWCC decisions can be reviewed quickly and decisively.
"There is still more work to do, and the Government implores all state and territory agencies to join the NCCC as quickly as practicable."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Tony Burke MP
"If a Working with Children Check or NDIS entitlement holder is charged with a relevant Commonwealth offence, screening units will now be notified sooner allowing for faster assessments on entitlement retention.
"This brings the country's critical information together so we can keep people safe."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Human Services in South Australia, the Hon Katrine Hildyard MP
"The Malinauskas Government is committed to engaging every effort to help keep children safe.
"This reform is a really important part of those efforts. It will strengthen our ability to identify risks earlier and to act quickly to protect our precious children and other people who need our support.
"This improved information sharing will close gaps in the system in ways that help ensure people working with children continue to meet the standards expected of them.
"From Monday in South Australia, employers can have more certainty their employees remain suitable and parents and families can have greater assurance continuous checks are being made on the people looking after their children and other loved ones.
"We welcome this significant step forward and will continue working with the Federal Government to strengthen safeguards that help keep South Australians safe."