Editorial: ‘Adult crime, adult time’ laws can’t get here soon enough

The latest innocent loss of life involving an alleged teen carjacker is more proof the LNP’s tough laws are long overdue, writes the editor.

Premier David Crisafulli at the Townsville Police Station. Picture: Evan Morgan

Premier David Crisafulli is correct in saying that the thoughts and prayers of all Queenslanders are with the family of the grandmother who lost her life yesterday after a 16-year-old repeat offender allegedly ran a red light in a stolen vehicle.

It is indeed a harrowing story, as this could have been any one of us – or any one of our loved ones.

That it has since emerged the boy was well known to police will only add to the grief – and anger – we all are all feeling today.

Police say the boy was not on bail when he allegedly went on a crime spree early yesterday that ended with the horrific crash at Murrumba Downs north of Brisbane.

But that will surely come as cold comfort – as this child should not have been free to be driving around with a firearm, stealing cars, and attempting armed robberies.

The youth was last night charged with manslaughter, armed robbery, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Mr Crisafulli’s new “adult crime, adult time” laws that he promises will be enacted by Christmas can now not come soon enough.

They will not apply to yesterday’s crime as they will likely not be made retrospective. But the tragic reality is that every single Queenslander knows this will not be the only time we bear witness to a preventable tragedy like this.

It is almost four years ago now that Kate Leadbetter and Matthew Field, and their unborn baby Miles, were killed while walking their dogs by a teenager in a stolen car who was on bail for similar offences.

Police at the time told of their frustration with the “catch and release” method of policing young criminals that the justice system, as it was, had demanded. Justice, they said, was a revolving door.

Premier David Crisafulli this week. Picture: Evan Morgan

Sadly, it seems, very little has changed, despite almost four years of tough-talking by the state Labor government ministers who were turfed from office at the state election a fortnight ago.

Matthew Field’s father Russell has, since his son’s tragic death on Australia Day 2021, been tirelessly raising awareness of what he rightly calls injustice for victims, as the state’s repeat youth offenders are repeatedly set free by a bleeding heart judiciary that still refuses to listen to the will of the legislature.

Mr Field was elected to Parliament as the LNP Member for Capalaba at the state election, defeating Labor’s Don Brown – who infamously claimed on Facebook that youth crime was a media beat-up.

Mr Brown’s margin in that seat had been 9.9 per cent, and so it is clear from that contest alone which view Queenslanders support.

Premier Crisafulli said yesterday that he would have more to say on yesterday’s tragedy in the days ahead, because the grieving family of the innocent victim were owed answers. We would add that they are also owed justice.

Mr Crisafulli has a very clear mandate here. Every voter knew exactly what his hard-line position was: that young criminals who commit serious crimes would be slapped with adult sentences if his LNP won the election.

When he unveiled that promise in July, then premier Steven Miles dismissed it as “just another slick four-word slogan”. But Mr Miles lost the election, and we are now five weeks from that “slogan” becoming law – and the maximum penalty cap of 10 years’ jail for youths removed.

What happened to the 17-year-old who was driving a stolen car while under the influence of cannabis and alcohol when he killed Mr Field’s son, grandson, and daughter-in-law? He was ordered to serve just 60 per cent of his 10-year sentence. He will be out of jail in 2027.

VENUES MUST BE BUILT IMMEDIATELY

Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie cannot have it both ways – on the one hand he is making political hay pointing out how the projected cost of venue upgrades for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is rising quickly, while on the other he is moving to halt the progress towards construction of others.

Mr Bleijie has revealed that the cost of three minor Games venues is already almost $200m – or 36 per cent – over budget, and that is before construction has begun.

Being a politician, he has blamed the previous government for not telling Queenslanders about the spiralling bill for those venues – an upgrade of the Sunshine Coast Stadium, a nearby indoor sports centre, and a similar venue at Chandler in Brisbane’s east.

And fair enough. But what Mr Bleijie has failed to acknowledge is that most of the blame for those rising costs is due to the fact that construction costs continue to increase as time goes by.

Meanwhile, he has demanded – unsuccessfully so far – that the federal government hit pause on its progress towards construction of the much-needed inner-city indoor Brisbane Arena, at the Roma Street Parkland.

But with costs spiralling every week, any delays will see taxpayers slugged more when the arena is finally built – as must happen. And so Minister Bleijie’s demand of the feds is doing exactly what he is criticising his predecessor for – unnecessary delays that end up increasing the cost of construction.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here