The new offences in section 229BB and 229BC of the Criminal Code Act 1899 (Qld) (the Criminal Code) commenced on 5 July 2021.
Under section 229BC of the Criminal Code, an offence is created for any adult who fails to disclose information that causes the adult to believe on reasonable grounds, or ought reasonably to cause the adult to believe, that a child sexual offence is being committed or has been committed against a child by another adult.
Section 229BC(4) sets out a non-exhaustive list of reasonable excuses for the purposes of the offence. The formulation of ‘any adult’ means the legislation has application to lawyers in the course of their practice, with implications for legal professional privilege and confidentiality.
In this webinar, Bill Mitchell, Principal Solicitor at Townsville Community Law, will discuss the application of section 229BC of the Criminal Code including:
- Operational aspects of the duty
- Application of the duty to community legal centres
- Key controversies and practical steps.