Queensland blue card refusals rise to 6,403
More than 1.4 million people are monitored under the screening scheme, but a law professor cautions that more refusals do not necessarily mean better protection.
Queensland’s Department of Justice recorded 6,403 refusals under its blue card screening scheme in its latest annual reporting, nearly double the 3,712 people barred in the 2024-2025 financial year.
The scheme monitors more than 1.4 million people, about 100,000 more than a year earlier. A department spokesperson said the refusal figures demonstrated the system’s strength and pointed to safeguards for children.
University of Queensland law professor Tamara Walsh disputed whether increased refusals meant children were better protected. She said decision-makers had considerable discretion and could exclude people who posed no risk while failing to identify others who did.
Professor Walsh said a drug possession charge incurred when someone was young could later stop them from working in youth justice. The government broadened the range of jobs requiring blue cards in December after a report on child safety failings found the scheme had operated as intended but provided no meaningful protection.
In August, Attorney-General and Justice Minister Deb Frecklington introduced legislation to establish a Child Protection Commission. The proposed body would bring agencies, departments and blue card services together to exchange intelligence and investigate behaviour that might fall below the threshold for a police investigation. Frecklington said the screening system was improving children’s safety.
