Police unite to hunt Qld child predators

Queensland and federal police have united to tackle pedophiles online, with the state's police minister admitting he is astounded by just how big a market there is in child exploitation.

Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service on Wednesday formalised an agreement to work together to find and prosecute online predators by officially launching the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (JACET).

The joint team will see nine AFP agents work alongside specialist state-based Taskforce Argos detectives to track down sexual predators within the state, in Australia and overseas.

Queensland Police Minister Bill Byrne said before he took on his current role, he thought only a small part of society was interested in and shared child exploitation material.

"Since I've become minister, I've become much more appraised of, I suppose, the level of action or activity of individuals involved in this and it's astounded me," Mr Byrne said.

AFP Commander Glen McEwen said that is why the united approach was needed.

"We all recognise that it takes a network to break a network, which is why working hand in glove across law enforcement efforts is essential," AFP Commander Glen McEwen said.

"The societal appetite for such material is extremely concerning."

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the JACET model was already operating in all other states and territories except the ACT and Tasmania and was proving effective.

Mr Keenan said 2625 reports of child exploitation were referred to the specialised JACETs across the country in 2015 and 157 so far this year.

But he warned the amount of reports of child exploitation being received by AFP's assessment centre has been increasing rapidly, with about 5000 in 2014 to more than 11,000 in 2015 and 11,154 so far this year.

"These figures are alarming and unfortunately police around the country will tell you these reports are increasing," he said.

"(But) this new operating model will send a clear message for those who might be sexual predators against children, that the exploitation of kids is not going to be tolerated and will not go unpunished by us in the justice system."