Queensland's Child Sex Offender Register Leads to Multiple Charges
Three child sex offenders have been charged with dozens of offences in the first eight months of Queensland's public child sex offender register. The website, set up under Daniel's Law, has had over 400,000 visits since its launch in December.
Three individuals convicted of child sex offences have been charged with multiple counts in the first eight months of Queensland's public child sex offender register being operational.
The website, established under Daniel's Law in memory of murdered Sunshine Coast teenager Daniel Morcombe, has recorded over 400,000 visits since its launch on December 31, 2025. It displays the photos and personal details of reportable offenders who fail to comply with their obligations or evade police.
Deputy Police Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon stated that three people had been charged with numerous offences, including 68 counts for allegedly breaching their reporting obligations. One person was also charged with two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12 and possession of child exploitation material.
"When you look at the opportunities for us out of that register and the work that's being done in such a short space of time, it is paying dividends," Deputy Commissioner Scanlon said.
She added that 19 reportable offenders had been identified as having unsupervised contact with a child following 231 applications submitted by parents and guardians. In its first three months, the website had been visited over 290,000 times and 38,800 locality applications were submitted. In the first six months, the website had been visited over 381,591 times, with 44,472 locality search applications submitted. Now, after eight months, the website has been visited 405,330 times and 46,428 locality search applications have been submitted.
Premier David Crisafulli said the results demonstrated the effectiveness of providing parents with information and tools to keep their children safe.
"This is about trying to shine a light on those monsters who try to lurk in the shadows, who try to run away from their past," he said.
"This is about making sure that if people don't uphold their end of the bargain, that they are able to be held accountable,"
Daniel Morcombe's mother, Denise, said their foundation had been advocating for years for such a register.
"It is just one tool in the toolbox for parents to look after their children,"she said.
The legislation introduced three new offences around prohibiting the misuse of information accessed or obtained from the public register, with penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment.