The introduction of a national Child Abduction Alert system will be investigated after a push by the Minister for Police and Corrective Services, Judy Spence.

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Police & Corrective Services, Judy Spence
pol...@cabinet.qld.gov.au
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17/11/04

Ms Spence today presented a submission to the Australasian Police Ministers' Council meeting in Hobart, calling on all States and Territories to follow Queensland's lead with the urgent broadcast of information about suspected child abductions.

"There was considerable interest in the system we are introducing in Queensland and I am hopeful we are a step closer to seeing Child Abduction Alerts across the country in a concerted effort to protect our children," Ms Spence said.

"Ministers have unanimously agreed to ask the Police Commissioners' Policy Advisory Group to further investigate the value and feasibility of implementing a national system.

"That group is expected to report back to the next meeting of the Australasian Police Ministers' Council.

"At today's meeting I outlined to the other States and Territories some of the benefits of a nationwide approach that we in Queensland have already identified.

"They include helping facilitate cross-jurisdictional searches for abducted children, improving opportunities for monitoring and evaluation, and aiding the broadcast of alert messages by national television and radio networks.

"I explained that Child Abduction Alert systems have been implemented across almost all of the United States, most of Canada and in some parts of the United Kingdom.

"Of the 130 children recovered in the United States through its Amber Alerts, 100 have been safely located since October 2002 when it became a nationally coordinated effort."

Ms Spence said Queensland Police would press ahead with the introduction of Child Abduction Alerts, first concentrating on getting the basic components of the system up and running with radio stations by the end of the year.

"Police would be able to declare an alert when they have reasonable grounds for believing that:

* a missing child under the age of 17 years has been abducted;

* the child is at risk of serious harm or death;

* there is sufficient descriptive information available to make an alert effective; and

* an urgent public broadcast will assist the location and safe recovery of the child."

Ms Spence said the system will be expanded to include other stakeholders who could distribution the information, as overseas jurisdictions have done.

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