Child Abuse and Neglect: a socio-legal Study of Mandatory Reporting in Australia

1.4. Comparative tables

This section displays seven comparative tables relevant to State and Territory reporting provisions detailed in the previous sections (section 1.1 to section 1.3). The tables are:

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  Table 1.1 Reporter groups
  
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  Table 1.2 Types of abuse and neglect that must be reported
  
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  Table 1.3 Key features of legislative reporting duties
  
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  Table 1.4 Legislation containing reporting duties and key provisions
  
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  Table 1.5 Legislative definition of ‘child’ for the purpose of reporting duties
  
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  Table 1.6 Maximum penalties, and penalty units
  
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  Table 1.7 What must be reported – types of abuse and neglect, abuse vs harm, and the extent of harm
  

Important note

These comparative tables show the law at 31 December 2012. The treatment in Stage 1 of developments in each State and Territory charts the changes to each jurisdiction’s laws over the period 2003-12.

In 2014, the Child Protection Reform Amendment Act 2014 (Qld) was passed, which will make substantial changes to Queensland’s mandatory reporting legislation. These changes will shift Queensland’s position towards the current position in Victoria. The changes will broaden some mandatory reporting duties, but will narrow others. The changes also will introduce a more formal statutory footing for differential response pathways.

These pending changes in Queensland are the most significant legislative amendments made in any jurisdiction to mandatory reporting legislation in the period after the 2003-12 time period which defined the scope of this research project.

Table 1.1: Reporter groups: Australian States and Territories