MPs Walk for Daniel

Assistant Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Landry, joined Member for Fairfax, Ted O’Brien, and hundreds of Sunshine Coast locals today to walk in the 14th Annual ‘Walk for Daniel’ at Woombye on the Sunshine Coast. 

The 4km walk is part of a range of national Day for Daniel activities run by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation across Australia. 

Day for Daniel is a national day of action on child safety and encourages the community to wear red, educate, and donate. The Foundation asks schools, businesses, community groups, parents and carers to start a conversation about child safety.  

Assistant Minister for Children and Families, Michelle Landry, supports and applauds the Daniel Morcombe Foundation for its efforts. The Australian Government continues in its work to prevent child abuse and neglect through a range of strategies and initiatives. 

“We as a government share the Daniel Morcombe Foundation’s goal to make Australia a safe place for all children. 

“It is my privilege to take part in the walk, and honour the memory of Daniel and the tireless work of his loving family,” said Ms Landry. 

Federal Member for Fairfax, Ted O’Brien, said Day for Daniel was an important time-marker for every family on the Sunshine Coast. 

“To be part of the red army once again, re-tracing Daniel’s final journey, is a great privilege and represents a moment to engage with child safety and understand what we each can do to make our communities safer. 

“There’s not a parent in Australia who wasn’t shocked by the disappearance of young Daniel back some fifteen years ago.  What he left us, and thanks to the brave, compassionate work of his parents Bruce and Denise, is a legacy to keep children safe and to protect them from predators. Those learnings are just as important today as they were while Daniel was missing and just as important for future generations. To forget would be to risk another child and that must never happen,” said Mr O’Brien. 

Ms Landry said the Australian Government was committed to improving child safety and the protection of children, working in partnership with state and territory governments and the community to address this national issue.

“The government is taking action to embed a child safe culture in all its agencies through the implementation of the Commonwealth Child Safe Framework, which recognises that all staff have an important role to play in the prevention of child abuse.” 

“We are also providing national leadership in the implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations; a process developed to make organisations safe for children and young people, and reduce future harm in institutional settings. The final draft National Principles will be considered by COAG for endorsement later this year.”  

The Government is also finalising the Fourth Action Plan 2018-2020 under the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020.

 “By working together, we can provide more positive role models and safer environments for our children, and help to protect our children from harm.”