The State Government has announced sweeping changes to crack down on youth crime.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she has listened to the community and she has acted.
“We acknowledge that local communities and their families have concerns about youth crime,” the Premier said.
“Where there is crime there must be punishment.
“Criminals – especially young ones – should fear the law
“It has to be crystal clear to everybody community safety comes first.”
The government five-point action plan includes:
- Tougher action on bail. Offenders posing a risk to the community should not get bail
- A police blitz on bail, appealing court decisions where appropriate
- A 24/7 Police Strike Team involving youth justice workers for high risk offenders
- Culture-based rehabilitation for indigenous offenders through new On Country initiatives trialled in Townsville, Cairns and Mount Isa
- Empowering local communities in the war on crime with $2 million for community-based organisations for local community-based solutions
“These are changes our MPs in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and the Gold Coast have advocated and the government has acted,” the Premier said.
The Palaszczuk Government has:
- Delivered 500 more police personnel
- Invested more than $500 million to curb youth crime since 2017
These have contributed to a 12 per cent reduction in the number of youth offenders. Today’s initiatives will concentrate on the 10 per cent refusing to choose a life other than crime.
The 10 community-based crime action committees will be rolled out in:
- Cairns
- Townsville (as a continuation of the Townsville Stronger Communities Action Group)
- Rockhampton
- Mount Isa
- Toowoomba
- Caboolture
- Ipswich
- Logan (to be integrated with activities of the Logan Together initiative)
- Gold Coast
- Brisbane
Five locations – Townsville, Cairns, Brisbane North, Logan and Rockhampton – will trial a new police/youth justice worker partnership targeting high-risk offenders.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the government had listened to the concerns of local communities and was taking action.
“We will go hard core on the hard nut offenders and will ensure that these offenders are held to account and the community is safe.
“The government’s intention has always been clear and that is community safety must come first and that’s the message we’re reinforcing,” Minister Ryan said.
Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer said Government was committed to keeping the community safe.
“We are committed to keeping community safety as our number one objective,’ she said.
