A Christmas Day Document Dump? The ACT Government’s Secrecy Problem Has Peaked
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When Four Corners revealed that nearly 150 paedophiles had exploited weaknesses in Australia’s early childhood sector, governments across the country and parents were forced into an everlasting moment of disgust. In New South Wales, the response was swift: more than 200,000 pages of regulatory documents have been released that were distressing, but essential for accountability.
In the ACT, not a single document has yet been released. Not a page. Not a summary. Not one reassurance for parents seeking clarity and safety. Instead, the ACT Government has set the release of these critical childcare files for a date so implausible it borders on parody, Christmas Day.
Releasing documents relating to child abuse and regulatory failure on a day when public scrutiny is at its lowest is, at best, deeply inappropriate. And it does not appear to be an isolated administrative lapse. It fits within a broader, well-established pattern of avoidance, delay and institutional self-protection.
Across issues that disproportionately affect women and children, the ACT Government has, in recent years stalled or resisted document releases, narrowed or diluted transparency orders, invoked privilege to block public access, minimised scrutiny, even during national crises.
This does not resemble cautious bureaucracy. It resembles a culture that requires serious examination.
How we arrived here
In June 2025, the Legislative Assembly passed a motion requiring the release of five years’ worth of serious incident documents from the early childhood sector. The motion, introduced by Independent MLA Thomas Emerson, was supported by the Opposition and crossbench.
But when the September deadline arrived, the Government - backed by the Canberra Liberals - moved to delay the release and significantly narrow what would be made public, removing witness statements, police evidence and correspondence with complainants.
The result was a transparency order stripped of much of its most meaningful material, with a three month extension that followed. The new deadline landed conveniently or otherwise on December 25.
Mr Emerson told Lady News that the Government has not released a single document and is likely to shield most of the material behind privilege claims in the final weeks before Christmas. With the Assembly set to extend the dispute window into January, he expects meaningful public release to be delayed until February 2026 at the earliest. A spokesperson for Mr Emerson added that he did not believe the Christmas release date was deliberate, suggesting it may have been the result of “clumsiness” rather than intent.
Parents are particularly concerned that the scope of documents originally ordered for release has been scaled back, effectively restricting how much they can learn about incidents in early childhood centres. For many, this narrowing of information feels like yet another barrier placed between families and the truth.
The ACT now appears to be an outlier
While NSW continues releasing thousands of documents weekly, the ACT appears to be the only jurisdiction yet to release any equivalent material. Canberra parents are receiving none of the transparency afforded to families across the border. Public safety should not depend on geography. Lady News sought comment from Education and Early Childhood Minister Yvette Berry and Attorney General, Tara Cheyne.
Neither responded to the questions. Their silence speaks to the core issue, a government increasingly unwilling to confront the failures of its own system.
The ACT is also one of the few jurisdictions where court level data does not appear to be easily or publicly accessible, reinforcing concerns about a broader culture of restricted transparency spanning both justice and child safety regulation. When information about regulatory failures and even court outcomes remains difficult to obtain, the public is left to question what else may be shielded from view.
The Glanfield Inquiry previously identified a “systemic lack of transparency” in child protection. FOI processes have been marked by delays and excessive redactions. The ACT Integrity Commission has, in recent years, reported relatively low investigation outputs compared to other jurisdictions.
Individually, these issues may look procedural. Taken together, they resemble a pattern.
Trust collapses in a system built on secrecy. When a government works this hard to avoid scrutiny, the real question is no longer about process, it is about power. What is being protected, and at whose expense? If transparency is treated as optional, then children's safety is treated as expendable. And that should alarm everyone in our community.