The ACT government looks set to award the operating contract for the new Gungahlin Leisure Centre to the YMCA, without imposing additional child-protection measures required in New South Wales.
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The NSW government has introduced tougher child-safety conditions for YMCA operations in that state in response to the royal commission on child sexual abuse.
On Monday, the ACT government said it had not awarded the operating contract, despite a job advertisement for a centre manager being posted online by YMCA NSW last week.
The advert was removed after 48 hours, following questions by The Canberra Times. It required applicants to submit to a working-with-children check and described the YMCA as committed to the safeguarding of children and young people. Applications were due by March 10. YMCA NSW declined to comment. ACT Sports and Recreation Services' acting director David Jeffrey said no decision had been made on the contract.
In January, evidence to the royal commission showed the NSW Department of Education had doubts that YMCA NSW was ''a child-safe organisation''.
Asked if the ACT government shared the concerns of the NSW Department of Education, Mr Jeffrey indicated that no additional requirements would be established on existing or future YMCA NSW operations in the ACT.
