Youth crime problem on Fraser Coast gets million dollar funding boost

A new service aimed at breaking the cycle of crime for young Fraser Coast offenders will help tackle the region’s escalating youth crime issue.

A new bail support service for young offenders on the Fraser Coast is hoped to help “break the cycle” of escalating youth crime in the region.

According to a statement, the new bail service will receive $1million in funding from the State Government, and focus on greater supervision for young people on youth justice orders.

It comes as youth crime reaches staggering heights in Hervey Bay, with car thefts in particular up 81 per cent.

In recent months, small business owners have also endured repeated break-ins, thefts and smashed windows.

Some business owners in the beachside community have even considered installing roller shutters to shield their stores from the repeated break-ins.

Minister for Children and Youth Justice Leanne Linard visited Hervey Bay on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, to make a funding announcement for a new bail support service for young people on youth justice orders on the Fraser Coast.

Minister for Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs Leanne Linard visited Hervey Bay on Tuesday to make the funding announcement.

In a statement, Ms Linard said the state government was taking “whatever steps” necessary to “reduce youth crime and break the cycle of offending”.

“We know the community wants us to do more and we are answering that call,” she said.

A provider to deliver the new bail support service will be chosen through an open tender process.

“This is all about tackling the underlying issues that can cause some young people to commit crimes, and to stop an escalation in their offending,” Ms Linard said.

Owner of Daisy's Phone Repairs Daisy Owen posted disturbing footage on social media on August 9, 2022, of a group of teenagers breaking into her phone repairs store at Pialba.

In a statement, Ms Linard said the service would start in early December 2022.

“The support will be different for every young person and every family,” she said in a statement.

“It can include getting them back into education or training or connecting them to services to address the underlying issues that contribute to offending such as housing, health, drug and substance misuse.

“To enhance community safety, we need to meet the individual needs of young people and families, and this is what this service will do.”

Member for Hervey Bay Adrian Tantari said in a statement that the bail support service recognised the “importance of breaking the cycle of crime for young people”.

“Young people who offend must be held accountable for their actions, and where necessary this includes being detained,” he said.

“There also needs to be support in place to break the cycle of offending.

In a statement, Mr Tantari said the bail support service was part of the government’s Youth Justice Strategy, which included tough bail laws, early intervention services to prevent criminal behaviour, and programs to help young people address their offending.

More information about the tender process, which closes on October 4, 2022, is available on the Queensland Government website.