When we launched this petition on 19 March 2025, we warned that Australia’s childcare system required an independent Royal Commission.
We raised concerns about inadequate oversight, fragmented regulation, weak accountability, the treatment of whistleblowers and whether the protection of children was being placed ahead of commercial and institutional interests.
Several months later, former childcare worker Hamish Tait was arrested. Following the lifting of a suppression order on 13 July 2026, he can now be publicly identified.
Tait faces 329 charges relating to the alleged abuse of 136 children between 2009 and 2025. The Australian Federal Police says he worked at or attended 62 childcare and early-education services during his career. Police have not alleged that offending occurred at every one of those services; the current allegations relate to five facilities.
On 16 July 2026, investigators released de-identified images of children’s clothing as part of their continuing effort to identify alleged victims. At the time of that announcement, 16 alleged victims had still not been identified. The matter remains before the courts, and every allegation must be determined through proper legal processes.
Our thoughts are with every child, family, educator and community affected by these devastating allegations.
But this case raises questions that go far beyond the criminal prosecution of one accused person.
How could alleged offending continue for such a long period?
Were warning signs, complaints or patterns missed?
Did important information follow workers when they moved between employers, childcare services, training organisations, regulators and jurisdictions?
Were Working With Children Checks, inspections, supervision requirements, complaints systems and information-sharing arrangements capable of protecting children?
Who is responsible when oversight is divided between providers, state regulators and the Commonwealth?
A criminal prosecution can determine an individual’s guilt. It cannot, by itself, investigate every provider, regulator, government department, funding arrangement or institutional failure that may have contributed to children being placed at risk.
That is why Australia needs a Royal Commission into the childcare sector.
We call upon the Prime Minister and the Australian Parliament to establish an independent Royal Commission with the power to examine:
screening, Working With Children Checks and staff movement between services;
complaints, incident reporting and information-sharing;
the conduct and effectiveness of regulators;
staffing, supervision, inspections and child-safety practices;
protections for parents, educators and whistleblowers;
provider ownership, government funding and profit incentives; and
what governments and institutions knew, when they knew it and how they responded.
Australian families should not have to wait for another horrific case before the entire system is examined.
Please act today.
Sign this petition, share it with at least five people and include your reason for signing. Send the petition to your federal MP and ask one direct question:
“Will you publicly support a Royal Commission into Australia’s childcare sector?”
Help us reach 5,000 signatures by 31 July 2026.
Journalists, educators, parents and advocacy organisations wishing to discuss this campaign may contact:
National Australian Mothers Advocacy Hub
Email : hello@namah.org.au
Phone : 04229NAMAH -0422962624
Anyone with information relevant to the criminal investigation should contact the Australian Federal Police through the official Operation Moonbi contact channels. Please do not post children’s names, identifying details or unverified allegations in the petition comments.