Aussie state’s huge move on youth crime

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has made a major move in his promised crackdown on youth crime across the state, introducing a tranche of new laws promising harsher penalties for child offenders.

Mr Crisafulli on Thursday introduced his landmark Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024 – the LNP’s first piece of legislation since the party defeated the Steven Miles-led Labor government on October 26.

Mr Crisafulli has made no secret of his promise to crack down on high-profile youth crime and introduce “adult time for adult crime” during and after his campaign.

Under the new laws, juvenile offenders who commit some of the most serious crimes will now face the same penalties as adult offenders, with the state government promising to put “the rights of victims” ahead of offenders.

It would mean children convicted of murder would face the penalty of life detention.

Currently, they face 10 years or up to life imprisonment if a court finds the offence was “particularly heinous”.

Other offences subject to the “adult crime, adult time” range include manslaughter, unlawful striking causing death, grievous bodily harm, wounding, serious assault, home and business break-ins and robbery and dangerous operation of vehicles.

Detention as a last resort would also be removed from the Youth Justice Act.

Mr Crisafulli said the new laws would change how young offenders were sentenced, including allowing the courts to consider their full criminal history at sentencing – including their criminal history as a juvenile – when they are sentenced as an adult for a five-year period.

“The Making Queensland Safer Laws are the first strike back against a youth crime crisis a decade in the making,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“The tough provisions contained in the Bill complement plans for gold standard early intervention, crime prevention and effective rehabilitation to ensure fewer Queenslanders fall victim to crime.

“No one is suggesting there will be no crime, but these laws will start to restore safety to our community and mean fewer Queenslanders fall victim to crime.

“Youth who choose to commit the most serious crimes will serve the time under these strong laws, but with gold standard early intervention and effective rehabilitation they will have every opportunity to stay on the right track.”

The Bill is set to be considered by a parliamentary committee before being debated by parliament in December.

Mr Crisafulli has promised the laws will be in place before the end of 2024.

Police Minister Dan Purdie claimed Queensland had earnt a reputation as Australia’s “crime capital” during nine years of Labor rule, saying their Bill would allow police to do their job properly.

“Dedicated officers were trying to keep our streets safe but they were left to do it with one arm tied behind their back,” he said.

In 2023, Labor introduced a raft of changes following outcry over high-profile crimes involving young offenders, including the murder of North Lakes mum Emma Lovell.

Under the changes, juveniles faced up to 14 years’ jail for stealing cars, with harsher penalties if they bragged about their crimes on social media.

Then-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said $9.89m would be fast-tracked for new sentencing programs in Brisbane, Townsville, Southport and Cairns so children spend “less time on remand and more time serving their sentences”.