New Rules for Interstate Working with Children Checks and Cancellations
Worker Screening Amendment (Strengthening the Working with Children Check) Bill 2025
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
child safety child-related work employment background checks worker screening working with children check
Introduced by: The Hon Sonya Kilkenny MP (ALP); The Hon Enver Erdogan MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
If someone is excluded from holding a Working with Children Check (WWCC) in any other state or territory, Victoria will now automatically treat that exclusion as valid here. In effect: “banned in one jurisdiction means banned in all,” aligning with national agreements.
Authorities can immediately suspend a WWCC when there’s any credible new information requiring reassessment — not just serious criminal charges. This includes lesser offences or disciplinary findings. Previously, only very serious convictions allowed such immediate action.
WWCCs can now be cancelled instantly if they were obtained using false or misleading information, or if the applicant was prohibited from applying in the first place.
The window for prosecuting someone who provided false or misleading information on their WWCC application will be extended from 12 months to 5 years and 6 months.