Working with Children Check Act 2000

A person who is a police officer or registered teacher must not start or continue in regulated employment unless—

the person holds a working with children authority; or

the person has made a working with children check (exemption) application and the application has not been decided or withdrawn.

if an aggravating circumstance applies to the offence—500 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment; or

otherwise—100 penalty units.

It is an aggravating circumstance for an offence against subsection (1) if the person—

holds a negative notice; or

for a person mentioned in subsection (1)(b)—is a disqualified person; or

held a working with children authority that was cancelled on the person’s request under chapter 8, part 5A, division 4; or

made a working with children check application that was withdrawn because section 199 applies; or

holds a disability exclusion or interstate NDIS exclusion; or

is the subject of an adverse interstate WWC decision that is in effect.

However, if the person’s working with children authority was cancelled under chapter 8, part 5A, a court may not find the person contravened subsection (1) unless the court is satisfied the person was given written notice about the cancellation.

Also, if the person was issued a disability exclusion or interstate NDIS exclusion because a disability clearance or interstate NDIS clearance issued to the person was cancelled, a court may not find that the aggravating circumstance mentioned in subsection (2)(e) applies to the person unless the court is satisfied the person was given written notice about—

the issue of the disability exclusion or interstate NDIS exclusion; or

the cancellation of the disability clearance or interstate NDIS clearance.