Daniel Morcombe Foundation co-founders Bruce and Denise Morcombe are still pushing for a publicly accessible sex offender register in Australia. This is 17 years after their son was abducted and murdered by twice-convicted paedophile Brett Cowan.

The Department of Home Affairs commenced consultations for the National Child Sex Offender register in January 2019. The 2019 – 2020 Federal Budget provided $7.8 million to establish a National Child Sex Offenders Register.

Now the Palmwoods-based Daniel Morcombe Foundation wants to know: Where is the Register? The Foundation completed an opinion paper on Australia’s Publicly Accessible Sex Offender Register, which it hopes will reignite the conversation and see some action take place.  

“We have our priorities in the wrong order,” said Bruce Morcombe. “Inaction is not an option. The time is here and now to see some progress on the National Register. We cannot sit on our hands any longer. Courageous decisions are required by our State and Federal leaders.”

In December 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe was abducted and murdered by twice-convicted paedophile Brett Cowan.

Since 2014, the Morcombe family have publicly supported and advocated for the development of a publicly accessible sex offender register in Australia – referred to as Daniel’s Law in honour of the Morcombe’s son Daniel.

Daniel’s Law would ensure the register is freely accessible to the community, federally funded, and understood more broadly as an educational tool. The register can aid in the safety of children by allowing people “in the privacy of their own home” to be educated about the geographical whereabouts of high risk, convicted offenders.

Bruce said the register would particularly assist single mothers who are most at risk when looking for a relationship online.

“Just relate to our personal story, Brett [Cowan] was married and his wife had no idea about his previous offending - he was convicted twice - and went to jail for very violent crimes against kids.”

A register would focus on protecting and informing the community. It would also act as a deterrent to sex criminals. Paedophiles would remain on the register for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 25 years.

Those against the sex offender register have noted the risk of vigilante behaviour towards offenders.