Tiahleigh Palmer and Allison Baden-Clay’s new legacy

THEY were murdered by the very people meant to protect them. Now, in the wake of the brutal killings of Tiahleigh Palmer and Allison Baden-Clay, Queensland will introduce Australian-first police powers.

THE brutal killing of a Logan schoolgirl and a Brisbane mother have prompted Australian-first police powers.

Tiahleigh Palmer, 12, and Allison Baden-Clay, 43, were murdered by the very people meant to protect them.

In response, Police Minister Mark Ryan has proposed new “lifesaving” powers that would supercharge traditional investigative techniques for missing people. “We have seen firsthand how a missing-person investigation can be hampered by people who have ended up murdering the very person they reported missing,” he said.

Mr Ryan said the new powers would help police act more quickly to establish crime scenes for high-risk individuals. “Hopefully, to save a life, but certainly to ensure justice is delivered sooner for those people who may have come to an unfortunate end,” he said.

Under the proposed laws, police will be able to establish a missing persons scene to gain access and in urgent cases will be able to do so without a warrant. The “high risk” framework will be triggered if the person is vulnerable because of age, disability, recent behaviour, health, or is a victim of domestic violence.