543 Blue Cards suspended under new powers to make children safer

• The Crisafulli Government is making children safer, with almost 550 blue and exemption cards suspended under strengthened new powers.
• Of these, 269 blue card holders have been prevented from commencing child-related work, and 274 card holders can no longer work with children.
• The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger protections for children following Labor’s decade of decline.
• New discretionary suspension powers enable Blue Card Services to take immediate action to protect Queensland children when risk is identified. 

The Crisafulli Government is making children safer, with almost 550 blue and exemption cards suspended under strengthened new powers, ensuring stronger protections following Labor’s decade of decline. 

The suspensions are the direct result of the new powers which commenced on 20 September 2025, allowing Blue Card Services to take immediate action to prevent individuals from working with children where a risk to the safety of children is identified. 

Figures from Blue Card Services as of 28 February 2026 show 543 blue and exemption cards were suspended, preventing individuals working with children across a wide range of child-related sectors. 

Of the 543 cards suspended, 269 individuals who had applied for blue or exemption cards were consequently prevented from commencing employment in child-related roles.  

The remaining 274 card holders were linked to regulated activities across multiple categories of employment, with some individuals connected to more than one sector. 

These suspensions have prevented individuals from working with children across multiple sectors, including disability services, health, counselling and support services, sport, active recreation, gyms and play facilities. 

Conduct which can trigger suspensions includes allegations of sexual or violent behaviour towards a child, as well as criminal or other concerning conduct within regulated child-related activities. 

It comes as the Crisafulli Government passed legislative amendments to improve the flow of relevant safety information between key regulatory agencies in the last Parliament sitting week. 

These reforms strengthen the communication channel from the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (ECRA) – which regulates daycare centres – to Blue Card Services to support enhanced decision making. 

ECRA will also be able to provide information about a greater range of disciplinary actions, including whether staff members or volunteers have been suspended, directed to operate under supervision or directed to undertake training. 

The Crisafulli Government is also reminding businesses and workers of expanded blue card requirements for people working with children in the entertainment, photography and beauty services. 

Businesses and workers in these industries are urged to act now ahead of the 20 March 2026 deadline to avoid significant penalties and to ensure children across Queensland are protected.  

These changes form part of the Crisafulli Government’s broader commitment to deliver stronger protections for Queensland children, including:

• Fast-tracking the Reportable Conduct Scheme to commence on 1 July 2026 for all relevant sectors.
• Implementing Daniel’s Law, with the Queensland Community Protection and Public Child Sex Offender Register now live.
• Enhancing information sharing between the National Redress Scheme and Blue Card Services.
• Leading a historic Commission of Inquiry, focused on reforming the out-of-home residential care system and repairing the child safety system.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the Crisafulli Government is determined to ensure Queensland children are not again failed by inaction like they were under Labor.