Editorial: David Crisafulli has clear mandate for youth crime crackdown

David Crisafulli should listen to his critics, but on youth crime there is no need for him to postpone his legislative agenda, writes the editor.

Premier David Crisafulli with Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber. Picture: Richard Walker

Premier David Crisafulli’s proposed tough new child crime laws are without doubt controversial.

The very subject has always been contentious – how best to deal with law-breaking children both for their own protection and the safety of the community, which boils down to the question of whose interests should take priority: those of the miscreants, or those of victims.

Mr Crisafulli believes the youth justice system that he has inherited from the recently departed decade-long Labor administration has for too long neglected the interests of victims.

He has vowed change, by rushing though his party’s tough new “adult crime, adult time” laws.

Youth crime experts and child safety advocates – from the Queensland Bar Association to Queensland Council of Social Service and the Youth Advocacy Centre – have all expressed varying degrees of outrage.

Their warnings include that the laws – which include a mandatory minimum of life in prison for murder and maximum sentences of 14 years for crimes like burglary – would lead to delays across the justice system, make life even harder for already disadvantaged youngsters, and fail to make Queenslanders safer.

Mr Crisafulli should of course be open to listening to his critics, on all matters. But in this instance there is no need for him to postpone his legislative agenda for an extended round of consultations and horse-trading. And that is because the new government has a clear mandate for these reforms, and the few – if any – of the objections being made are new ones.

The differences of approach are as much ideological as anything else, which makes finding acceptable common ground challenging – if not impossible.

In addition, it is clear that the existing child-first approach – as championed by the former Labor government – has failed to deliver the presumably desired outcomes of improved community safety and reduced youth crime levels.

There is no doubt that it is time for some radical change.

More fundamentally, this is how democracy works – the winning side comes into office with a suitcase full of promises, which it then tries to turn into action.

Mr Crisafulli’s LNP won a clear majority of seats in the October state election and no one can say they didn’t know that one of his first actions as Premier would be to push through this new youth crime laws, which are expected to be passed by parliament before Christmas.

The LNP won a mandate to crack down on young law-breakers, and that is exactly what the Premier is now trying to do.

But critics of the LNP’s tough new approach shouldn’t despair. Mr Crisafulli’s political future depends on getting this right.

Simply boosting the number of children in custody won’t mean victory for Mr Crisafulli, especially if child rights advocates – who will presumably continue to watch these developments closely – can point to human rights abuses and mistreatment of minors. Would any government want to be tagged with such accusations?

No, the entire purpose of this new approach is to lower youth crime rates – not increase child prisoner figures. And so if there is not a real fall in youth crime rates and if Queenslanders do not feel safer in their own communities by the time the next election rolls around in October 2028, then Mr Crisafulli will either have to resign (as he has promised to do) or run the real risk of being a one-term wonder.

PNG DEAL A WATERSHED MOMENT

The imminent expansion of the NRL to include a team based in and representing Papua New Guinea is perhaps the boldest call in game’s history – and yet an absolute masterstroke if it works.

The team’s very existence will be forever tied to our league-mad northern neighbour choosing Australia as its defence partner of choice. That is, if it backs China then it loses its team – and no PNG politician would ever do that.

The deal also delivers to the NRL a new market entirely underwritten by cash set aside by the federal government in the foreign aid budget. That means the experiment – and it certainly is that, when you consider the implications and challenges – is secure financially.

This will also give the nation of Papua New Guinea great pride, and so hopefully help continue its march toward becoming a developed rather than a developing nation.

Credit is due for their vision to Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his PNG counterpart James Marape, and Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys – not to mention all those who have worked on what surely would have been a seriously complicated process.

This will be a historic moment in terms of global sporting diplomacy, and it should be celebrated as such.

Not only will rugby league be a better game because of it, but our national security will have received a significant boost. Well played.

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