Butthe laws have come under criticism, with civil libertarians saying thelegislation goes too far and the NSW opposition saying they don't gofar enough.

A Freedom of Information investigation revealed a child-sex offenderhad been approved to work unsupervised with children, after a ban wasoverturned, News Limited reported today.

The 41-year-old man is reported to be one of more than 40, including a rapist, who have overcome similar bans.

NSW Acting Community Services Minister John Hatzistergos said newlaws introduced on January 2 had broadened the category of people whowere prohibited from working with children.

The categories of offenders who could seek to overturn the ban alsohad been narrowed, with those convicted of serious offences like sexualassault, child pornography and child murder, banned for life.

"People who are sex offenders are grubs, and these new laws, Ithink, go a long way to addressing the community concerns," MrHatzistergos said.

"I'm advised they are the toughest laws in Australia."

Commissioner for Children and Young People, Gillian Calvert, said she was confident the new laws could protect young people.

"I think the approach that we currently have in NSW is world leading," she said.

"I think we have a strong approach and we have a fair approach."

But the NSW Opposition said all child-sex offenders should be bannedfrom working with children for life – not just those who commit"serious offences".

"Government has no greater responsibility than to protect ourchildren and if Labor's legal system is allowing convicted rapists towork with our young, it's failing," opposition legal spokesman ChrisHartcher said.

"The legal system is supposed to work for the community, not against it."

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties has described the new laws ascompletely inappropriate, saying there must be an avenue for people toappeal to a tribunal.

Council president Cameron Murphy said while there are obviouslypeople who should never work with children, there are cases where thosepreviously convicted of an offence are no threat to the community.

"People need to remember that there are about 500 young men eachyear that are convicted of the offence of carnal knowledge because theyhave sexual intercourse with their girlfriend who is about the sameage," council president Cameron Murphy said.

"They go on to get married to this person, have children, don'tcommit a crime for decades, yet those people are banned from workingwith children."