Victoria’s new child safety regulator runs into FIFO controversy

The state government has been criticised for appointing a fly-in, fly-out bureaucrat to oversee the first steps in overhauling Victoria’s problem-plagued childcare sector.

Brisbane-based Adam Fennessy became the interim regulator of the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) in January, a new version of the watchdog created after damning failures in the sector were exposed by charges against accused paedophile Joshua Brown.

It was part of a range of regulatory reforms made by the government to deliver an unprecedented level of oversight and enforcement over childcare providers.

While the job is based in Melbourne, Fennessy has travelled back to Brisbane almost every weekend and been spotted in the Queensland capital on Fridays and even mid-week.

He has not hidden his trips home from the public, instead regularly posting his exercise routines on Strava, a social media app for runners which details their location and routes.

But some within the sector and the state opposition have questioned why the government would select someone – even on a short-term basis – who was not based in Victoria for a public interest role meant to create the perception of a strong commitment to safety reform.

The government also came under fire last year when this masthead revealed the boss of Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop project commuted from Queensland, and billed taxpayers for some of his costs to travel to Melbourne. He left the job a month later.

Two senior sources, who have both worked with Fennessy in multiple roles over the past decade, expressed concern that he had been appointed to a role demanding the highest commitment and attention.

The sources, who were not approved to speak publicly, agreed Fennessy was well liked across state and federal bureaucracies as well as the political spectrum, but he had no experience in the early childhood sector and a recent history splitting his time between states.

“How the regulator’s office is set up matters. You would have thought they need someone with both experience and a presence in Victoria,” one said.

“It is critical that somebody with an understanding of the sector is establishing it the right way in order for it to go forward.

“Adam is an experienced bureaucrat, but he has never worked in childcare, he has never worked in social policy or early childhood, he has always worked in environment.”

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said: “Ensuring the safety of children and restoring community confidence in Victoria’s childcare sector is not FIFO job.

“Following the heartbreaking allegations of horrific misconduct within childcare settings last year and the failings of the government’s regulator, Victorians rightfully expect this role be located in Victoria on a full-time basis.”

A source working in Victoria’s childhood sector, who was not approved to speak publicly, said Fennessy had been a visible presence in Melbourne meetings since taking on the regulatory position. The source added that he had been open that his return to Melbourne was temporary and, as he was unable to relocate to Victoria permanently, he would not apply for the ongoing position.

After this masthead sent questions to the Allan government about Fennessy’s travel arrangements, he changed his Strava settings to private.

Fennessy has been training for the Brisbane Half Marathon, with records showing him in Brisbane regularly in January, including the Tuesday and Wednesday following the Australia Day public holiday.

His Strava profile indicates he is regularly in Brisbane early enough on Fridays to take afternoon walks. The night before Good Friday, he was at the Gabba for Brisbane’s victory over Collingwood, posting on Strava: “Kick to kick after the footy then walking home.”

Responding to questions from this masthead, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said Fennessy was based in Melbourne.

“Adam Fennessy relocated to Melbourne when he took up the role of Interim Regulator at VECRA on 1 January 2026,” they said.

“Neither the Department of Education or VECRA have paid for reunion flights or personal travel expenses for Mr Fennessy.

“It is anticipated the Governor-In-Council will soon be appointing a permanent regulator, who will continue to be Victorian-based.”

The department did not comment further when presented with Fennessy’s Strava profile. Fennessy did not respond when contacted directly by this masthead.

A source close to the recruitment process, speaking anonymously to detail internal deliberations, said interstate applicants had been discouraged from applying for the position as the permanent regulator, who should be appointed by the end of the financial year.

A state government source said it was generally considered appropriate to make exceptional provisions for people who had a high standard of expertise in a field, but that this was a difficult test to apply to Fennessy.

The Department of Education would not reveal Fennessy’s remuneration for the interim position, which he took on after finishing up as the secretary of the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) in September.

At a Senate estimates hearing last October, acting DAFF secretary Justine Saunders was asked whether Fennessy’s commuting from Brisbane was a factor in his departure from the role. She said she was not aware of any concerns.

Under further questions, acting deputy secretary Tim Simpson revealed it was a condition of Fennessy’s employment that he was based in Canberra, and said he was confident it had been met.

“As part of his condition with living in Canberra, he had reunion travel under the Remuneration Tribunal conditions to Brisbane, which was his home port, but he was based out of Canberra for the role,” Simpson said.

“I wouldn’t have specifics on that (how often he worked from the Canberra office), obviously, here at hand, but from my perspective he was in Canberra the vast majority of the time.”

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