<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/26/queensland-blue-card-system-indigenous-people-impacts>
"When Alice Lawrence started working at a private school in Charters Towers, it
felt like her life was on track. But everything unravelled when she was asked
to apply for a working with children safety check, known in Queensland as a
blue card.
The check uncovered a charge for a minor drug offence. Lawrence, now 43, says
she felt humiliated being questioned by government officials over events that
happened two decades ago.
“I had hidden my past for so long. And then these mobs were just picking and
picking,” she says. “By the end of it I was in tears.”
Since 2001, Queenslanders who work around children have needed to obtain a blue
card. The safety check has been criticised by the Queensland Human Rights
Commission and others as disproportionately disadvantaging people from remote
Indigenous communities.
Lawrence had been working as an Indigenous support officer at the school for
more than a year before she was asked to apply for the card.
It took 18 months to receive a response to her application, which was
eventually rejected. She then lost her job.
One year on, the mother of two has been unable to get another job in the remote
north Queensland community without a blue card.
“You know, it was a bit of weed and some trouble like that,” she says. “It
happened while I was in a children’s home; I was 18 and a single mum,” Lawrence
says. “I have changed since then; I have been given full custody of my nephews.
“The problem is there’s so many jobs that require a blue card. It’s not just
education but even hospitality as well.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
