Anne Hollonds

Dec 8, 2024 | themandarin.com.au | Anne Hollonds

When the backslapping over the successful passing of the social media ban legislation has finished, there is a significant amount of work that still needs to be done to improve child safety and wellbeing in Australia. We all want our communities to be safe places where kids can thrive and grow up to be productive members of society, and the social media ban would seem to indicate that Australia places a premium on child wellbeing.

Nov 25, 2024 | humanrights.gov.au | Lorraine Finlay |Anne Hollonds

By Lorraine Finlay and Anne HollondsParents and carers are used to constantly weighing up risk while striving to keep their children safe. It’s a delicate balance. But we also know that protecting our kids is more complicated than just banning anything dangerous. While the safeguarding of children is needed and welcomed, the Federal Government’s current rushed plan to ban children under 16 from social media oversimplifies a complex issue and carries the risk of unintended harms.

Sep 3, 2024 | theguardian.com | Anne Hollonds

We all want to live in communities where we feel safe and where children can flourish and get the best start in life. But the last few weeks have marked a major step backwards for the rights of Australia’s children.

Apr 9, 2023 | canberratimes.com.au | Anne Hollonds

Let's be clear. In a rich and developed country like Australia, high rates of child maltreatment are a sign of failed public service systems: poorly designed, fragmented, and lacking co-ordination across health, mental health, education, and social services. Australia lags on child wellbeing, ranking a low 32nd out of 38 OECD countries.