Child Protection and Education Legislation (Reporting of Abuse) Amendment Bill 2017* (Qld)

An Act to amend the Child Protection Act 1999 and the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 for particular purposes The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Child Protection and Education Legislation (Reporting of Abuse) Amendment Act 2017 .

Part 2 Amendment of Child Protection Act 1999

2 Act amended This part amends the Child Protection Act 1999 .

3 Amendment of s 13E (Mandatory reporting by persons engaged in particular work) Section 13E(1)— insert— (g) a minister of a religious denomination or society who performs work for, or has an association with, a school. Examples of a minister for paragraph (g)— priest, pastor, bishop, rabbi, imam

Part 3 Amendment of Education (General Provisions) Act 2006

4 Act amended This part amends the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 .

5 Amendment of s 364 (Definitions for pt 10) Section 364— insert— religious representative means a minister of a religious denomination or society. Examples— priest, pastor, bishop, rabbi, imam

6 Amendment of s 365 (Obligation to report sexual abuse of person under 18 years at State school) (1) Section 365(4A) to (7)— renumber as section 365(8) to (11). (2) Section 365— insert— (5) Subsection (6) applies if a religious representative, other than a person to whom subsection (2) or (2A) applies, becomes aware, or reasonably suspects, in the course of the representative's work for, or association with, a State school, that a person mentioned in subsection (1)(a) to (c) at the school has been sexually abused by another person. (6) The religious representative must give a written report about the abuse, or suspected abuse, to a police officer— (a) immediately; and (b) if a regulation is in force under subsection (7), as provided under the regulation. Maximum penalty—20 penalty units. (7) A regulation may prescribe the particulars the report must include. (3) Section 365(8) and (10), as renumbered, '(5)'— omit, insert— (9) (4) Section 365(8), as renumbered, 'the report'— omit, insert— a report given under subsection (2), (2A) or (6) (5) Section 365(9), as renumbered, 'or principal's supervisor'— omit, insert— , principal's supervisor or religious representative (6) Section 365(10), as renumbered, 'or (2A)'— omit, insert— , (2A) or (6) (7) Section 365(11), as renumbered, '(6)'— omit, insert— (10)