LNP blocks Labor move for more scrutiny of youth crime laws

The news

Debate has kicked off in Queensland parliament over the government’s controversial youth justice bill, with Labor trying – and failing – to see key parts delayed until early next year.

Shadow attorney-general Meaghan Scanlon moved opposition amendments after the dinner break on Tuesday night to address concerns about consultation lasting just days, and adverse outcomes.

The amendments, voted down by the LNP and Katter’s Australian Party, would have returned more than a dozen clauses for “full and proper examination” by a committee.

“While we acknowledge the outcome of the election and the policy that was taken to it by the LNP, that policy was in slogan and infancy form at best,” Labor’s shadow attorney-general Meaghan Scanlon said.Credit: Matt Dennien

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington accused Labor of trying to delay the laws and “laughing about victims … about the people of Queensland who want to be safe in their homes over Christmas”.

Why it matters

The bill follows an election campaign in which the LNP sought a mandate to pass laws by Christmas that would allow children to be sentenced as adults for some offences and no longer be jailed as a last resort.

But Labor and experts argued the detail of the bill went further than what was made public before the election, and should be subject to greater scrutiny.

The bill was rubber-stamped by an LNP-led committee on Friday, a week after being referred to the system meant to review laws under the state parliament’s lack of an upper house.

The government argued the rush, disproportionate impact on First Nations kids, and overriding of human rights laws was justified to meet its election commitment and address crime rates that had risen recently.

What they said

“While we acknowledge the outcome of the election and the policy that was taken to it by the LNP, that policy was in slogan and infancy form at best,” Scanlon told parliament on Tuesday night.

She also highlighted the fact the Queensland Police Service did not make a submission or appear before the committee, despite it being required to enact many of the new laws.

Responding to the opposition’s pitch for more time, Frecklington said: “All they want to do with this amendment is say to the people of Queensland, ‘Be afraid over Christmas. Be afraid on Boxing Day.’”

Frecklington was forced to withdraw her comment about the opposition “laughing at victims” after Labor frontbencher Grace Grace took offence and accused her of misleading parliament.

Frecklington also flagged coming “technical amendments” to “strengthen and clarify” the bill, to be introduced during the final stages of its passage before 5.30pm on Thursday.

Another perspective

Greens Maiwar MP Michael Berkman, a member of the committee that led the inquiry into the bill and who wrote his own dissenting report, described the process as “frankly, a sham”.

“Let’s send the whole bill back. Let’s think about it properly, let’s take our time and actually do our jobs as legislators,” he said.

Police told Brisbane Times last week the agency did not “seek to attend” the committee hearings or briefings, and was not invited, despite being “committed to supporting” it through such work.