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The eSafety Commissioner and Sport Integrity Australia have strengthened their partnership to address online abuse in sport. The collaboration focuses on protecting athletes, particularly children and young people, from online harassment and abuse. Sporting clubs may see new guidance and resources emerge from this partnership to help manage online safety risks.

Queensland organisations including sporting clubs are being urged to prepare for the new Reportable Conduct Scheme ahead of its commencement. The scheme will require certain organisations to report and respond to allegations of child abuse and misconduct involving children. Sporting clubs should review their policies and procedures now to ensure they are ready for the new reporting obligations.

From 1 April 2026, all sport and recreation organisations in Queensland that work with children must be able to demonstrate compliance with the Child Safe Standards. If your club operates in QLD and has not completed a compliance review, this should be a priority. Contact Sport Queensland for guidance.

New laws strengthening child safety safeguards came into effect in Victoria in March 2026. Victorian sporting clubs should review the changes via the Victorian Government website to confirm their current policies and procedures remain compliant.

AFL Victoria has issued updated guidance for community clubs on their child safe obligations, including new requirements for overnight travel and social media policies.

Basketball Australia and Basketball New Zealand have formed a shared services partnership for integrity functions including child safeguarding. The partnership aims to strengthen integrity processes across both national bodies. This development may lead to improved resources and consistency in child safety practices for basketball clubs.

From 27 February 2026, any staff member or volunteer who receives a negative Working With Children Check notice must inform their organisation in writing within 72 hours. This is a new legal obligation that many clubs are not yet aware of. Make sure your policies and induction processes reflect it.

Governance has moved from the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) to the Social Services Regulator. Clubs using old CCYP resources should review their references and ensure their policies name the correct regulator.

A National Early Childhood Worker Register launched on 27 February 2026, requiring approved service providers to record and maintain workforce information accessible to regulators. While primarily aimed at early childhood services, this signals the direction of travel for broader child-facing organisations including sport.

From 27 February 2026, all staff and volunteers working with children must complete mandatory child safety and child protection training under new national legislation. A six-month transition period runs until 27 August 2026, giving clubs time to get their people trained. After that date, new staff must complete the training before starting work.

Cricket NSW has released a new child safeguarding policy that all affiliated community clubs are required to adopt by July 2026.

Sport Integrity Australia has released updated implementation guidance with specific notes for community-level sporting organisations. Key changes affect reporting requirements and the definition of a person of concern.

From 10 December 2025, social media platforms are required to prevent users under 16 from creating accounts, a change that directly affects how clubs manage their online presence and communicate with junior members. Clubs should review their social media policies to ensure they are not engaging with or publishing content directed at under-16s on platforms where those users should no longer have accounts. The eSafety Commissioner has free resources and a 45-minute webinar specifically for community sport clubs to help navigate these changes.