The Queensland Government accepts in principle the Royal Commission's child safe standards and recognises that the proposed standards represent best practice. 6.5 The Child Safe Standards are: Child safety is embedded in institutional leadership, governance and culture Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously Families and communities are informed and involved Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account People working with children are suitable and supported Processes to respond to complaints of child sexual abuse are child focused Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved Policies and procedures document how the institution is child safe. Accept in principle The Queensland Government accepts in principle the Royal Commission's child safe standards and recognises that the proposed standards represent best practice. In Queensland there are already mandatory requirements on institutions that provide services to children to apply best practice and to mitigate risks of harm. Under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000, institutions are required to develop and implement a child and youth risk management strategy which promotes the wellbeing of a child. The Queensland Government will continue to consider the Child Safe Standards, their implementation, a compliance regime and how to better improve institutional safety of children in Queensland. Jurisdictions will continue to work together to provide leadership on the Child Safe Standards. Jurisdictions may differ in their implementation due to their existing systems and instruments but consistency will be achieved over time, where possible. 6.6 Institutions should be guided by the following core components when implementing the Child Safe Standards: Standard 1: Child safety is embedded in institutional leadership, governance and culture The institution publicly commits to child safety and leaders champion a child safe culture. Child safety is a shared responsibility at all levels of the institution. Risk management strategies focus on preventing, identifying and mitigating risks to children. Staff and volunteers comply with a code of conduct that sets clear behavioural standards towards children. Accept in principle The Queensland Government accepts in principle the Royal Commission's Child Safe Standards and recognises that the proposed standards represent best practice. These will be useful indicators to guide institutions in improving their child safe practices. In Queensland there are already mandatory requirements on institutions that provide services to children to apply best practice and to mitigate risks of harm. Under the Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000, institutions are required to develop and implement a child and youth risk
activities or services where clubs and associations have a significant membership of, or involvement by, children coaching or tuition services for children commercial services for children, including entertainment or party services, gym or play facilities, photography services, and talent or beauty competitions services for children with disability education services for children health services for children justice and detention services for children, including immigration detention facilities transport services for children, including school crossing services. 6.10 State and territory governments should ensure that: an independent oversight body in each state and territory is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the Child Safe Standards. Where appropriate, this should be an existing body. the independent oversight body is able to delegate responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the Child Safe Standards to another state or territory government body, such as a sector regulator. regulators take a responsive and approach when monitoring compliance with the Child Safe Standards and, where possible, utilise existing regulatory frameworks to monitor and enforce the Child Safe Standards. Accept in principle The Queensland Government is committed to transparent and accountable oversight and will engage further with our existing oversight bodies, affected institutions and the community, including about the significant logistical and financial imposts and how these can best be managed. Whether the scope of the proposed body's function include regulation of enforcement of child safe standards will be dependent on further consideration of 6.8 above. 6.11 Each independent state and territory oversight body should have the following additional functions: coordinate ongoing information exchange between oversight bodies relating to institutions’ compliance with the Child Safe Standards. provide advice and information on the Child Safe Standards to institutions and the community; collect, analyse and publish data on the child safe approach in that jurisdiction and provide that data to the proposed National Office for Child Safety; Accept in principle The Queensland Government accepts the importance of these proposed functions and notes that the Queensland Family and Child Commission currently provides systemic oversight for the child and family support system and promotes and advocates for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people as well as the responsibilities of families and communities to protect and care for children and young people. The Family and Child Commission Act 2014 provides for the Act to be reviewed based
As part of the implementation of the information sharing regime in the Child Protection Reform Amendment Act 2017, the Department of Child Safety Youth and Women is developing an information sharing guideline as required under the amendments. 8.9 The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Education Council should consider the need for nationally consistent state and territory legislative requirements about the types of information recorded on teacher registers. Types of information that the council should consider, with respect to a person’s registration and employment as a teacher, include: the person’s former names and aliases the details of former and current employers where relating to allegations or incidents of child sexual abuse: i. current and past disciplinary actions, such as conditions on, suspension of, and cancellation of registration ii. grounds for current and past disciplinary actions iii. pending investigations iv. findings or outcomes of investigations where allegations have been substantiated v. resignation or dismissal from employment. Accept in principle In February, COAG tasked the COAG Education Council with advancing recommendations relating to teachers and students. The Queensland Government is participating in a working group that has been established to provide advice back to the COAG Education Council over the next 12 months. 8.10 The COAG Education Council should consider the need for nationally consistent provisions in state and territory teacher registration laws providing that teacher registration authorities may, and/or must on request, make information on teacher registers available to: teacher registration authorities in other states and territories teachers’ employers. Accept in principle In February, COAG tasked the COAG Education Council with advancing recommendations relating to teachers and students. The Queensland Government is participating in a working group that has been established to provide advice back to the COAG Education Council over the next 12 months. 8.11 The COAG Education Council should consider the need for nationally consistent provisions in state and territory teacher registration laws or in administrative arrangements, based on legislative authorisation for information sharing under our recommended information exchange scheme providing that teacher Accept in principle In February, COAG tasked the COAG Education Council with advancing recommendations relating to teachers and students. The Queensland Government is participating in a working group that has been established to provide advice back
registration authorities may or must notify teacher registration authorities in other states and territories and teachers’ employers of information they hold or receive about the following matters where they relate to allegations or incidents of child sexual abuse: a. disciplinary actions, such as conditions or restrictions on, suspension of and cancellation of registration, including with notification of grounds b. investigations into conduct, or into allegations or complaints c. findings or outcomes of investigations d. resignation or dismissal from employment to the COAG Education Council over the next 12 months. 8.12 In considering improvements to teacher registers and information sharing by registration authorities, the COAG Education Council should also consider what safeguards are necessary to protect teachers’ personal information. Accept in principle In February, COAG tasked the COAG Education Council with advancing recommendations relating to teachers and students. The Queensland Government is participating in a working group that has been established to provide advice back to the COAG Education Council over the next 12 months. 8.13 State and territory governments should ensure that policies provide for the exchange of a student’s information when they move to another school, where: the student may pose risks to other children due to their harmful sexual behaviours or may have educational or support needs due to their experiences of child sexual abuse and the new school needs this information to address the safety and wellbeing of the student or of other students at the school. State and territory governments should give consideration to basing these policies on our recommended information exchange scheme (Recommendations 8.6 to 8.8). For further consideration The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that schools are best able to discharge their care obligations to their students. While there are currently policies in place to provide for information sharing, the Queensland Government commits to further considering how existing policies and regulation can be strengthened to achieve the intent of the Royal Commission's recommendations. The Queensland Government supports coordinating consideration with the national consideration of recommendations 8.6-8.8. 8.14 State and territory governments should ensure that policies for the exchange of a student’s information when they move to another school: provide that the principal (or other authorised information sharer) at the student’s previous school is required For further consideration The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that schools are best able to discharge care obligations to students. While there are currently policies in place to provide for information sharing, the Queensland Government
agenda and conducting high-quality program evaluation. The national centre should partner with survivors in all its work, valuing their knowledge and experience. Volume 10 – Children with harmful sexual behaviours No. Recommendation Queensland Government response 10.1 The Australian Government and state and territory governments should ensure the issue of children’s harmful sexual behaviours is included in the national strategy to prevent child sexual abuse that we have recommended (see Recommendations 6.1 to 6.3). Harmful sexual behaviours by children should be addressed through each of the following: primary prevention strategies to educate family, community members, carers and professionals (including mandatory reporters) about preventing harmful sexual behaviours secondary prevention strategies to ensure early intervention when harmful sexual behaviours are developing tertiary intervention strategies to address harmful sexual behaviours. Accept in principle The Queensland Government will work with other jurisdictions to prioritise the inclusion of the complex issue of children with sexually reactive behaviours in frameworks and strategies to support the wellbeing and safety of all children. 10.2 The Australian Government and state and territory governments should ensure timely expert assessment is available for individual children with problematic and harmful sexual behaviours, so they receive appropriate responses, including therapeutic interventions, which match their particular circumstances. Accept in principle The Queensland Government supports the intention of the recommendation and recognises the gaps in service delivery and funding for children with sexually reactive behaviours. The Queensland Government is committed to working with the Australian Government and states and territories on funding and service delivery models to align with the recommended National Strategy to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse once developed. 10.3 The Australian Government and state and territory governments should adequately fund therapeutic interventions to meet the needs of all children with harmful sexual behaviours. These should be delivered through a network of specialist and generalist therapeutic services. Specialist services should also be adequately resourced to provide expert support to generalist services. Accept in principle The Queensland Government supports the intention of the recommendation and recognises the gaps in service delivery and funding for children with sexually reactive behaviours. The Queensland Government is committed to working with the Australian Government and states and territories on funding and service delivery models to
Government Services on outcome indicators for ‘improved health and wellbeing of the child’, ‘safe return home’ and ‘permanent care’. reporting definitions and data requirements through relevant agencies and portfolios. 12.4 Each state and territory government should revise existing mandatory accreditation schemes to: incorporate compliance with the Child Safe Standards identified by the Royal Commission extend accreditation requirements to both government and non-government out-of-home care service providers. Accept in principle The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that out-of-home care service delivery is of the highest quality. Queensland's child protection system is one of the most highly regulated in Australia. The Queensland Government is currently implementing recommendations from the Queensland Family and Child Commission's Review of Foster Care, including strengthening carer assessment, approval and monitoring. The next stage of review of the Child Protection Act 1999 will consider the Royal Commission's recommendations as part of its comprehensive review of the regulation of care including carer approvals and licensing of care services. 12.5 In each state and territory, an existing statutory body or office that is independent of the relevant child protection agency and care service providers, for example a children’s guardian, should have responsibility for: receiving, assessing and processing applications for accreditation of care service providers conducting audits of accredited care service providers to ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation standards and conditions Accept in principle The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that the accreditation of out-of-home care delivery is of the highest quality. Queensland's child protection system is one of the most highly regulated in Australia. The Queensland Government is currently implementing recommendations from the Queensland Family and Children Commission's Review of Foster Care, including strengthening carer assessment, approval and monitoring. The next stage of review of the Child Protection Act 1999 will consider the Royal Commission's recommendations as part of its comprehensive review of the regulation of care including carer approvals and licensing of care services. 12.6 In addition to a National Police Check, Working With Children Check and referee checks, authorisation of all foster and kinship/relative carers and all residential care staff should include: community services checks of the prospective carer and any adult household members of home-based carers Accept in principle The Queensland Government recognises the importance of ensuring carer suitability and is committed to comprehensive screening processes. The Queensland Government currently conducts child protection and personal history checks on all prospective foster and kinship carers. The Queensland Government is currently implementing
institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.19 All Catholic religious institutes in Australia, in consultation with their international leadership and the Holy See as required, should implement measures to address the risks of harm to children and the potential psychological and sexual dysfunction associated with a celibate rule of religious life. This should include consideration of whether and how existing models of religious life could be modified to facilitate alternative forms of association, shorter terms of celibate commitment, and/or voluntary celibacy (where that is consistent with the form of association that has been chosen). Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.20 In order to promote healthy lives for those who choose to be celibate, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and all Catholic religious institutes in Australia should further develop, regularly evaluate and continually improve, their processes for selecting, screening and training of candidates for the clergy and religious life, and their processes of ongoing formation, support and supervision of clergy and religious. Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.21 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia should establish a national protocol for screening candidates before and during seminary or religious formation, as well as before ordination or the profession of religious vows. Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.22 The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia should establish a mechanism to ensure that diocesan bishops and religious superiors draw upon broad-ranging professional advice in their decision-making, including from staff from seminaries or houses of formation, psychologists, senior clergy and religious, and lay people, in relation to the admission of individuals to: seminaries and houses of religious formation ordination and/or profession of vows Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations. 16.23 In relation to guideline documents for the formation of priests and religious: The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference should review and revise the Ratio nationalis institutionis sacerdotalis: Programme for priestly formation (current version December 2015), and all other guideline documents relating to the formation of Noted The Queensland Government notes this recommendation. The Queensland Government encourages religious institutions to consider and respond to the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
tabling of this Final Report. This review should: establish the extent to which the Royal Commission's recommendations have been implemented 10 years after the tabling of the Final Report examine the extent to which the measures taken in response to the Royal Commission have been effective in preventing child sexual abuse, improving the responses of institutions to child sexual abuse and ensuring that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse obtain justice, treatment and support advise on what further steps should be taken by governments and institutions to ensure continuing improvement in policy and service delivery in relation to child sexual abuse in institutional contexts The Queensland Government accepts this recommendation in principle, noting that it is directed to the Australian Government. 17.5 The Australian Government should host and maintain the Royal Commission website for the duration of the national redress scheme for victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse Accept in principle The Queensland Government accepts this recommendation in principle, noting that it is directed to the Australian Government. 17.6 A national memorial should be commissioned by the Australian Government for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Victims and survivors should be consulted on the memorial design and it should be located in Canberra. Accept in principle The Queensland Government accepts this recommendation in principle, noting that it is directed to the Australian Government. Working with Children Checks Report No. Recommendation Queensland Government response 1 State and territory governments should: amend WWCC laws to implement the standards identified in this report once standards implemented, obtain agreement from the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), or a relevant ministerial council, before deviating from or altering the standards, adopting changes across all jurisdictions within 18 months from the publication of this report, amend their WWCC law to enable clearances from other For further consideration Queensland is participating in interjurisdictional discussions, which are being led by the Commonwealth, to develop a set of national standards for WWCCs.
7 State and territory governments should: amend their WWCC laws to provide that the phrase ‘contact with children’ refers to physical contact, face-to-face contact, oral communication, written communication or electronic communication through COAG, or a relevant ministerial council, agree on standard definitions for each kind of contact and amend their WWCC laws to incorporate those definitions. Accept in principle The Queensland Government has broadly supported the intent of all 81 recommendations made by the QFCC in its review of Queensland's blue card system. As a minimum standard, the QFCC recommended that Queensland should adopt the recommendations of the Royal Commission in its WWCC Report. In line with the QFCC’s findings, it is noted Queensland proposes to keep its existing safeguards under the WWC Act by continuing to screen decision-makers and individuals who are engaged in specific child-related environments, even if they do not otherwise have contact with children. The Queensland Government notes that Australian Government leadership is required to meet the Royal Commission’s policy intent. Queensland is participating in interjurisdictional discussions, which are being led by the Commonwealth, to develop a set of national standards for WWCCs. 8 State and territory governments should: amend their WWCC laws to provide that contact with children must be a usual part of, and more than incidental to, the child-related work. through COAG, or a relevant ministerial council, agree on standard definitions for the phrases ‘usual part of work’ and ‘more than incidental to the work’, and amend their WWCC laws to incorporate those definitions. Accept in principle The Queensland Government has broadly supported the intent of all 81 recommendations made by the QFCC in its review of Queensland's blue card system. As a minimum standard, the QFCC recommended that Queensland should adopt the recommendations of the Royal Commission in its WWCC Report. The Queensland Government notes that Australian Government leadership is required to meet the Royal Commission’s policy intent. Queensland is participating in interjurisdictional discussions, which are being led by the Commonwealth, to develop a set of national standards for WWCCs. 9 State and territory governments should amend their WWCC laws to specify that it is irrelevant whether the contact with children is supervised or unsupervised. Accept The Queensland Government supports this recommendation and notes that this is currently the position under Queensland’s WWCC legislation.
Australian governments should refer to the Steering Committee for the Report on Government Services for review the issues of: how the reporting framework for police services in the Report on Government Services could be extended to include reporting on child sexual abuse offences whether any outcome measures that would be appropriate for police investigations of child sexual abuse offences could be developed and reported on. For further consideration This recommendation requires national coordination. The Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (Steering Committee) has been established by the Council of Australian Governments and comprises representatives from the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments. Each Australian government should ensure that its policing agency: recognises that a victim or survivor’s initial contact with police will be important in determining their satisfaction with the entire criminal justice response and in influencing their willingness to proceed with a report and to participate in a prosecution ensures that all police who may come into contact with victims or survivors of institutional child sexual abuse are trained to: i. have a basic understanding of complex trauma and how it can affect people who report to police, including those who may have difficulties dealing with institutions or persons in positions of authority (such as the police) ii. treat anyone who approaches the police to report child sexual abuse with consideration and respect, taking account of any relevant cultural safety issues establishes arrangements to ensure that, on initial contact from a victim or survivor, police refer victims and survivors to appropriate support services. Accept in principle Current Queensland Government practices are consistent with this recommendation, and the Queensland Police Service has investigators who provide a specialist policing response to child victims. The Queensland Police Service will review current policies and training resources to ensure they provide sufficient guidance to all police officers in relation to the dynamics of sexual abuse and how trauma may impact on a person’s ability to interact with police and the criminal justice system. To encourage reporting of allegations of child sexual abuse, including institutional child sexual abuse, each Australian government should ensure that its policing agency: takes steps to communicate to victims (and their families or support people where the victims are children or are particularly vulnerable) that their Accept in principle The Queensland Government supports the intent of the Royal Commission’s recommendation. Further consideration is needed with stakeholders, in particular the service sector. It is likely that this recommendation will have financial and
relation to disclosing or revealing the identity of a mandatory reporter to a law enforcement agency. (section 186(2)). Some limited exceptions are provided, for example, where disclosing the notifier’s identity is for purposes related to functions being performed under the Child Protection Act 1999 (section 186(2)(a)), or by way of evidence given in a legal proceeding under subsections 186(3) and (4). The intent of the protection of notifier confidentiality is to encourage people to report a concern about a child to Child Safety without fear of their identity being disclosed, to protect notifiers who have made a report from possible retaliation, and to help professionals to maintain positive (and often protective) working relationships with children and families. Each Australian government should ensure that its policing agency conducts investigative interviewing in relation to reports of child sexual abuse, including institutional child sexual abuse, in accordance with the following principles: All police who provide an investigative response (whether specialist or generalist) to child sexual abuse should receive at least basic training in understanding sexual offending, including the nature of child sexual abuse and institutional child sexual abuse offending. All police who provide an investigative response (whether specialist or generalist) to child sexual abuse should be trained to interview the complainant in accordance with current research and learning about how memory works in order to obtain the complainant’s memory of the events. The importance of video recorded interviews for children and other vulnerable witnesses should be recognised, as these interviews usually form all, or most, of the complainant’s and other relevant witnesses’ evidence in chief in any prosecution. Investigative interviewing of children and other vulnerable witnesses should be undertaken by police with Accept in principle Current Queensland Police Service practices are consistent with this recommendation, and the Queensland Police Service has investigators who provide a specialist policing response to child victims. The Queensland Police Service will review current training resources to ensure they meet all recommended requirements. Part (j) of this recommendation is related to the establishment of an intermediary scheme under recommendations 59 and 60, which require further consideration.
allegation rather than focusing only on the credibility of the complainant, and they should not make any adverse assessment of the victim or survivor’s credibility or reliability because of their disability. Police who conduct investigative interviewing should make all appropriate use of any available intermediary scheme, and communication supports, to ensure that the victim or survivor is able to give their best evidence in the investigative interview. Decisions in relation to whether to lay charges for child sexual abuse offences should take full account of the ability of any available intermediary scheme, and communication supports, to assist the victim or survivor to give their best evidence when required in the prosecution process. In order to assist in the investigation of current allegations of institutional child sexual abuse, each Australian government should ensure that its policing agency: develops and keeps under review procedures and protocols to guide police and institutions about the information and assistance police can provide to institutions where a current allegation of institutional child sexual abuse is made develops and keeps under review procedures and protocols to guide the police, other agencies, institutions and the broader community on the information and assistance police can provide to children and parents and the broader community where a current allegation of institutional child sexual abuse is made. Accept While current Queensland Police Service policies are consistent with this recommendation, the Queensland Police Service will consider implementation of the New South Wales procedures referred to in recommendation 15. The New South Wales Standard Operating Procedures for Employment Related Child Abuse Allegations and the Joint Investigation Response Team Local Contact Point Protocol should serve as useful precedents for other Australian governments to consider. Accept While current Queensland Police Service policies are consistent with this recommendation, the Queensland Police Service will consider implementation of the New South Wales procedures In relation to blind reporting, institutions and survivor advocacy and support groups should: be clear that, where the law requires reporting to police, child protection or For further consideration Consideration will be given to applicability and relevance of this recommendation to Queensland Government agencies.
Further consideration and consultation is required with stakeholders to determine the impacts of this recommendation for Queensland. State and territory governments should introduce legislation to require sentencing courts, when setting a sentence in relation to child sexual abuse offences involving multiple discrete episodes of offending and/or where there are multiple victims, to indicate the sentence that would have been imposed for each offence had separate sentences been imposed. For further consideration Sentencing in Queensland is governed by the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992. Queensland has a general presumption in favour of concurrent sentencing, however there is no legislative provision providing for aggregate sentences. Further consideration and consultation with stakeholders whether Queensland’s existing provisions and practices meet the intent of the recommendation. State and territory governments should introduce legislation to provide that sentences for child sexual abuse offences should be set in accordance with the sentencing standards at the time of sentencing instead of at the time of the offending, but the sentence must be limited to the maximum sentence available for the offence at the date when the offence was committed. For further consideration Sentencing in Queensland is governed by the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992. Further consideration and consultation is required with stakeholders to determine the impacts of this recommendation for Queensland. State and territory governments, in consultation with their respective Directors of Public Prosecutions, should improve the information provided to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse offences to: give them a better understanding of the role of the victim impact statement in the sentencing process better prepare them for making a victim impact statement, including in relation to understanding the sort of content that may result in objection being taken to the statement or parts of it. For further consideration Queensland’s Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 contains provisions for the giving of victim impact statements in certain circumstances. VAQ and Queensland Courts publish a range of information for victims of crime, including A Guide for Victims of Crime in Queensland. The Charter of Victims’ Rights, set out in the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009, describes the treatment victims can expect to receive from Queensland Government agencies, their officers and funded non-government agencies that provide services to victims of crime. The Director’s Guidelines for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution are available online. Director Guideline No.5 provides general guidelines for dealing with victims and outlines information that should be provided to victims including information on making a victim impact statement.
LAQ also provides online information to victims of crime and people charged with offences. Further analysis of existing resources, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, is required to determine if they are sufficient to meet the intent of the recommendation. State and territory governments should ensure that, as far as reasonably practicable, special measures to assist victims of child sexual abuse offences to give evidence in prosecutions are available for victims when they give a victim impact statement, if they wish to use them. Accept in principle The Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 already provides for special arrangements to assist victims to read victim impact statements into evidence. This includes providing for emotional support for the victim, for the victim to provide their statement out of the view of the offender, and to provide the statement by means of an audiovisual link. State and territory governments should introduce legislation, where necessary, to expand the Director of Public Prosecution’s right to bring an interlocutory appeal in prosecutions involving child sexual abuse offences so that the appeal right: applies to pre-trial judgments or orders and decisions or rulings on the admissibility of evidence, but only if the decision or ruling eliminates or substantially weakens the prosecution’s case is not subject to a requirement for leave extends to ‘no case’ rulings at trial. For further consideration This recommendation is complex and involves significant change for Queensland. Further detailed consideration and consultation is required. State and territory governments should work with their appellate court and the Director of Public Prosecutions to ensure that the court is sufficiently well resourced to hear and determine interlocutory appeals in prosecutions involving child sexual abuse offences in a timely manner. For further consideration This recommendation is dependent on further consideration of recommendation 79 and consideration of resource implications for the courts. Directors of Public Prosecutions should amend their prosecution guidelines, where necessary, in relation to the decision as to whether there should be a retrial following a successful conviction appeal in child sexual abuse prosecutions. The guidelines should require that the prosecution consult the complainant and relevant police officer before For further consideration The Director’s Guidelines currently require consultation with, variously, victims and police to ensure they are fully informed of significant prosecutorial decisions and the reasons for such decisions – Guidelines 21, 22, 23, 25 and 51. This is consistent with the obligations to victims under the Victims of Crime