A major inquiry in Queensland will examine whether the previous state government failed to prevent Australia's worst pedophile crime.
In November last year, 46-year-old Ashley Paul Griffith pleaded guilty to more than 300 horrific sex crimes committed in Brisbane daycare centers over the past two decades.
The Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) will investigate whether the Palaszcuk government has failed to implement dozens of recommendations from a 2017 review.
Chief Constable Luke Twyford will be given special powers to access confidential police reports to investigate gaps in Queensland's child protection system.
The review will examine the timeline of Griffith's violations to “understand what laws, policies, procedures and practices could or should have enabled earlier identification, investigation and prosecution.”
It will search his employment history, places of residence and any reports relating to his conduct at the 11 daycare centers where he worked in Brisbane.
'As a first step, I will be seeking information from the Australian Federal Police, Queensland Police and our Department of Education, which will enable us to establish a chronology of the offenses that have occurred, including the places and employers where the Failures may need to be looked at,” Twyford said at a news conference on Tuesday.
'I am particularly concerned about how we prevent, identify, detect and respond to child sexual exploitation in Australia, and ensure that our blue card system is part of a wider protection system that includes reportable behavior and a child safety standard . system, as recommended by the Royal Commission in 2017.'
Queensland Family and Child Commission chief commissioner Luke Twyford said he has been given special powers to investigate the government's handling of child safety
The deranged predator appealed his life sentence in December, with lawyers claiming the pedophile's punishment was manifestly excessive.
Ashley Paul Griffith, 46, pleaded guilty in November to more than 300 disturbing sex crimes
Victims and their families will be invited to submit to the review and describe cases where policy, procedure, legislation and government responses have been inadequate or slow.
Griffiths pleaded guilty to 307 offenses last year.
The offenses included 28 counts of rape, 190 counts of indecent treatment of a child in his care, and 15 counts of maintaining a sexual relationship with a child.
They also include 67 charges of producing child exploitation material and several other offenses from 2003.
In 2017, the Queensland government launched a Blue Card review following the murder of foster child Tiahleigh Palmer.
However, the government has only acted on 56 of the report's 81 recommendations.
The QFCC will determine whether the remaining recommendations would have affected Mr Griffith's ability to offend.
Queensland Premier David Crisfulli said the inquiry would reveal system shortcomings and provide recommendations needed to improve the framework of Queensland's child protection system.
State Premier David Crisafulli said the final report would include recommendations to improve Queensland's child protection framework
The victims' parents said their initial reports of Griffith's offending fell on deaf ears
“This investigation is what is needed to expose the weaknesses in child protection and protect children from the danger that lurks,” Prime Minister Crisafulli said.
'When parents drop their children off at childcare or school, they want to know that everything is being done to protect their children.
“We must leave no stone unturned in identifying weaknesses within government that are failing to keep children safe and deliver the reform that is urgently needed.”
Mr Twyford said details of the final report would be made available to the public.
“Our findings will be released publicly, and we will release public progress reports throughout the review period to ensure transparency and instill public confidence in the process,” he said.
Griffith abused 69 girls while working at daycare centers in Queensland.
He was taken into custody in August 2022 after police were able to identify a Brisbane daycare center from the sheets seen in videos he uploaded to the dark web in 2014.
Parents of children at a daycare center where he worked were furious, saying they had raised concerns about him but were accused of sexism.
One mother said she complained about Griffith the first week he started at the center.
'He was not wearing a uniform, did not introduce himself to the parents and just stared at the children. I thought he must be one of the dads,” she said.
But her complaint fell on deaf ears: the owner allegedly accused her of gender bias and asked whether the center was “the right place for you and your family.”
Griffith also boasted about his childcare experience and discussed how he helped children “develop their identities” in a now-deleted online profile.
“I love engaging children in meaningful experiences that inspire them to play and learn,” the pedophile wrote.
'I am particularly fascinated by the way children use creative languages such as drawing, building, painting and music to express themselves and develop their identity.'
At his sentencing in November last year, Judge Paul Smith imposed a life sentence with a non-parole period of 27 years, saying Griffith was 'depraved and is at high risk of reoffending'.
Griffith appealed against the sentence on December 20 last year, as his lawyers argued his sentence was manifestly excessive.
He also faces new charges in NSW involving 23 alleged victims in Sydney.
