The Commission held public hearings in Brisbane from Monday 17 to Friday 28 November 2025. At these hearings, the Commission heard from representatives from Queensland Government, including Child Safety.
These hearings were a continuation of the Far North Queensland hearings held in Cairns, in September 2025. In Cairns, the Commission heard from frontline carers and support workers, as well as from young people in care themselves at a private session. Some of the issues raised include:
- the removal of newborn babies
- the State's lack of responsiveness to carers’ requests, often for critical medical assessment or treatment
- the need for tailored early intervention to support vulnerable families, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, prior to children entering care
- the disconnect between the duty imposed on carers, and the authority they have to make decisions in the best interests of the child
- the role of a Child Safety Officer (CSO), and whether there is sufficient time for a CSO to build a relationship of trust with the child.
Through these hearings, the State was invited to answer any criticisms and provide context or explanations for those matters identified in Far North Queensland.
Video recordings and transcripts of each day will be published below when they are available.
There are strict confidentiality requirements under the Child Protection Act 1999. This means publication of any details that identify a child in care is prohibited.
All livestreamed and video recordings of hearings are subject to Non-Publication Orders:
The publication or sharing of information obtained through this livestream that breaches the non-publication orders is strictly prohibited and may result in prosecution.
