Youth crime victim, Uber driver Julie Stephenson, backs LNP plan

An Uber driver who lost a colleague to an alleged teen murderer and was almost taken out by a 15-year-old in a stolen car, has backed proposed LNP youth crime laws as her city records a 270% increase in car thefts.

Julie Stephenson wants young criminals like the teen car thief who nearly killed her passengers and left her with a $10,000 bill to “pay the price”.

The Hervey Bay Uber driver, whose harrowing brush with the youth crime crisis was first revealed by this publication, is backing the LNP’s Adult Crime, Adult Time policy.

Speaking to reporters alongside former Attorney-General and member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie and the LNP’s Hervey Bay candidate David Lee, Ms Stephenson recounted the events of May last year when her car carrying two passengers was smashed into by a car being driven by a 15-year-old.

The same teen was revealed to have already committed a string of serious crimes and had delivered a 13-year-old to Maryborough in a stolen car before he caused a triple fatal crash.

Uber driver Julie Stephenson speaks to the LNP's Jarrod Bleijie and David Lee about youth crime.

The youths in the car didn’t even stop the motor and instead, jumped out, got into another stolen vehicle and fled.

“If I hadn’t swerved those passengers wouldn’t be here,” Ms Stephenson said.

“They just kept going – their car factor is zilch”.

On the road each night Ms Stephenson said she saw crime “all the time” and felt sorry for police who did their bit but were let down by the system.

“I said (to officers) ‘tell me the truth, what happens to these kids?’ and they said, ‘they have to do an awful lot of crime before something happens’,” Ms Stephenson said.

The car crash scene at Urangan (left) Hervey Bay Uber driver Julie Stephenson (right) shortly after.

Asked how she felt about working as an Uber driver since her late colleague Scott Cabrie was killed, allegedly by a teen client, Ms Stephenson said she needed the income but wanted to see change.

She also never got to find out what happened to the teenager who caused the damage to her car and was left to “hope the system (did) the job”.

“Deep down you know the system is not there … the system doesn’t help victims.

“If (youths) do the crime they have to pay the price – they have got no consequences.”

Mr Lee said the driver’s story was reflective of the growing concerns raised by many members of his electorate, which had experienced a 270% increase in unlawful use of motor vehicle crimes and a 70% increase in unlawful entry offences under Labor’s “weakened” laws.

Uber driver Julie Stephenson speaks about youth crime to the LNP's Jarrod Bleijie and David Lee in Hervey Bay.

Mr Bleijie, who was in town to support Mr Lee at the LNP fundraiser gala on Wednesday night, said Labor had failed the people of Hervey Bay by “creating a generation of repeat young offenders”.

He said the LNP’s plan put the “rights of victims before offenders” and “time is up for Labor to fix the youth crime crisis”.

He also said Labor was “acting tough” it’s recent flurry of announcements were reflective of a “desperate” premier trying to keep his government in power which was the priority – not addressing youth crime.

Queensland Youth Justice Minister Di Farmer insisted Labor’s priority “first and foremost will always be protecting Queenslanders and supporting victims”.

“We want to protect Queenslanders and prevent this from happening again,” she said.

“We understand the impact and trauma crime has on people’s lives.

“One victim or one offence is one too many.”

However, Ms Farmer also maintained the government’s plans were working, citing police data which showed there’d been a 6.7% drop in reported offences and actions against juvenile offenders in 2024 and said the average number of serious repeat offenders had decreased 18% from 497 in October 2023 to 405 at 31 July 2024,

“We’ll continue to take the advice of the experts on prevention, intervention and detention strategies,” she said.

“On the other hand, the LNP just spruiks another four-word slogan, void of any detail.

“Queenslanders deserve to know how this plan will lead to longer sentences?

“It’s clear the LNP will say and do anything to use victims of crime to further their political agenda, instead of doing what matters to support them.”

Hervey Bay MP Adrian Tantari was contacted for comment but did not respond.

Do you think the State Government’s youth crime laws are working? Comment below or email [e-mail].