Arabic version: شرطة كوينزلاند تحقق في ادعاء اعتداء داخل رعاية سكنية

According to ABC News, Queensland police are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in residential care at a residence west of Brisbane.

Police said the alleged assault occurred last week and was reported a day later, on August 21. Queensland Police Service Acting Deputy Commissioner Rhys Wildman said the matter was under investigation and was being taken “extremely seriously”, particularly because it involved a young person.

Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm described the allegations as “heinous”. She said she and her director-general were briefed on reports or allegations of sexual assault, and that the government would contact providers and conduct quality assurance checks to ensure safeguards were in place.

The investigation was reported on the same day the government introduced legislation to establish the Queensland Protection Commission, intended to improve protections for children from sexual abuse. Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said the proposed body would bring together agencies including education, health, police, child safety and youth justice, with information sharing a priority.

The commission was recommended following a Child Death Review Board report that identified more than 18 points at which Ashley Paul Griffith could have been detected or his offending disrupted earlier. The QPC is expected to begin work in February.