Mind That Child: A Critical Analysis of Child Safety Legislation in Australia

Every year, but particularly in this International Year of the Child, many words have been spoken about children — their needs, their health and their happiness; and of the responsibility all must assume of seeing to it that young lives are nurtured.

The purpose of this paper is to examine an issue which pertains to the very survival of the child — safety legislation.

This year in Australia about a million children will be hurt and some thousands will die as a result of accident. What can be done to stop this epidemic? Does the law have a role to play?