A man convicted of two child sexual abuse offences has been able to work as a referee for Touch Football NSW for more than a decade, including for junior teams, with the organisation citing a legal “loophole” for his continued employment.
The New South Wales government passed new laws in September to strengthen the working with children check scheme and the Office of the Children’s Guardian is currently reviewing the framework to assess whether it is “fit for purpose”. Child safety advocates say the laws need to be further strengthened to ensure child sexual abuse offenders cannot referee children’s sport.
