Michelle Rowland pushes national working with children check reforms at attorneys-general meeting in Darwin

The attorney-general remains confident state and territory counterparts will sign on to reforms for national working with children checks.

A meeting of attorneys-general in Darwin on Friday will consider standards that would mean a person convicted of offences in one jurisdiction would be barred from holding a working with children check in other states.

Nationally consistent checks have been on the agenda for top law officers following several high-profile cases of child abuse in childcare centres.

Attorneys-general are also set to consider what sort of information is shared between states and territories for the checks in order for the decisions to be consistent.

Minimum national standards for the checks process will also be on the agenda.

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said while reforms in the sector had been rolled out, further measures were necessary for child safety.

“While all states and territories have introduced ‘banned in one, banned in all’ legislation, there is more to do,” she said.

“Child safety is a top priority for all jurisdictions, which is why I am confident my state and territory colleagues will take the next big step ... and agree on nationally consistent minimum standards and information sharing.”

States and territories agreed in 2025 on reform measures that bolstered screening arrangements for working with children checks.

They also agreed to mutual recognition between jurisdictions of negative notices handed to people and consistency in what would exclude someone from having the appropriate checks

Ms Rowland said reforms needed to be carried through.

“All governments have made significant progress towards delivering a national approach to working with children checks,” she said.

“That’s why we must maintain the momentum and continue strengthening working with children check schemes across the country.”