Hamish Tait, a 35-year-old Sydney childcare worker, faces 329 charges related to the alleged abuse of 136 children over a 16-year period. The charges include 162 counts of producing child abuse material, 81 counts of filming a person engaged in a private act without consent, and 24 counts of using a child under 14 years for the production of child abuse material.

A court order protecting Tait's identity was lifted on Monday, July 13, 2026, revealing him as the central figure in a major Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigation known as Operation Moonbi, which began in June 2025. The investigation involved the review and analysis of 2.4 million electronic files.

The AFP has contacted 121 families in Australia and overseas as part of the victim identification process, though 22 alleged victims remain unidentified. During a search of a property in Glossodia, New South Wales, 25 electronic devices were seized and subsequently analyzed, revealing child abuse material.

AFP Acting Commander Luke Needham described the allegations as "confronting and horrific, especially when it involves someone trusted to care for them." He also noted evidence that Tait shared the material overseas on three occasions.

Sources

ABC Australia News