Melbourne Childcare Worker Joshua Brown Charged With 70 Sexual Offences; 1,200 Children Tested Amid Victorian Safety Reforms and Second Man Charged

A 26-year-old Melbourne childcare worker, Joshua Dale Brown, has been charged with more than 70 sexual offences, including child rape, involving eight victims aged between five months and two years. Brown worked at around 20 childcare centres across Melbourne since 2017. Following his arrest, Victorian health authorities have urged approximately 1,200 children who attended these centres to undergo testing for infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted infections. The investigation into Brown's alleged crimes has also led to the charging of a second man, Michael Simon Wilson, with multiple sex offences, including bestiality.

In response to the case, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced a review of childcare safety and the introduction of urgent new measures. The Australian government plans to implement tougher laws, including stripping funding from childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards and allowing unannounced inspections. Some childcare operators have already banned male workers from certain duties, such as changing nappies, in the wake of the scandal. The case has prompted a wave of civil lawsuits against childcare centres implicated in the investigation, and advocates are calling for federal government action to reform the childcare sector nationwide.