Lucy Carne: Innocent people should not have to die in order for laws to be fixed

Yet more innocent lives have been lost that should not have been if it weren’t for the revolving door of the justice system. Make it stop, writes Lucy Carne.

An empty crib that will never hold a warm, sleeping newborn.

Bunk beds no longer filled with the early morning squeals of small children.

Alexandra Hills and Camp Hill: two picket-fence Brisbane suburbs only 15 kilometres apart but united in sorrow and anger at the loss of innocent lives that should never have been sacrificed.

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Two decimated families who appear to have been betrayed by laws while questions are asked about a court system seemingly more preoccupied with appeasing the rights of the accused rather than keeping the innocent safe.

It has almost been a year since Hannah Clarke and her children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3, were doused in petrol and burned to death by Rowan Baxter in their car on the way to school.

Murder victims Hannah Clarke and her children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3. Picture: Supplied

It was a stomach churning crime that ended any naivete that Queensland was somehow immune to such brutal slaughter.

But as the community tried to reconcile the unfathomable pain of the senseless loss of four innocent lives murdered on a Camp Hill street, it was revealed that their killer was known to police and courts.

Baxter had relentlessly controlled, raped and stalked his wife and kidnapped one of their children.

And yet the DVO and child protection order Hannah believed would keep her safe was overruled by the court and Baxter was allowed access to his children.

He was free to walk the streets and was free to lie in wait for his family with a can of petrol.

It should be impossible to recall a more harrowing case of young faces deserving hopeful futures suddenly taken and a family grief-stricken yet stoic as they pay tribute to their beloved angels.

But, sickeningly, here we are. Our hearts once again break for another family killed on a suburban street in an altogether different situation.

On the golden afternoon of Australia Day last week pregnant Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Matt Field, 37, were walking their dogs in Alexandra Hills.

Police allege a teenager driving a stolen 4WD Toyota Landcruiser sped through a red light, collided with a truck and rolled, ploughing into the couple. Kate, her unborn baby and Matt were killed instantly.

Matty Field, Kate Leadbetter and their unborn son Miles were killed by an out-of-control car when walking their dog at Alexandra Hills. Picture: Supplied

The alleged circumstances of their deaths are completely different to the Hannah Clarke case, and the accused youth driver deserves the presumption of innocence until the allegations are proven in court.

But once again disturbing revelations have come to light raising questions about how the justice system allowed the alleged driver to be free on the streets.

It is the bitter pill that is impossible to stomach. This was yet another tragedy that should not have happened if it weren’t for the revolving door of the justice system.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll confirmed the teen (who will turn 18 in a couple of months) was on bail for another “traffic matter” and had “criminal matters” dealt with previously.

“We are going back into the history to look at what else should be done, could be done and what we need to learn from and … change for the future,” Ms Carroll said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk demanded answers “just like everyone else” on why the teen was released on bail before the horrific crash and that if there were any recommendations out of the coronial inquest to toughen laws, the Government “will look at those laws”. But why are we pretending these are unique circumstances?

Domestic violence and youth crime are far from new.

The graves of their many victims can attest to that.

So why is that we wait for tragedy before addressing the systems’ flaws?

Why does it take the murder of Hannah and her babies before we finally introduce coercive control laws?

Flowers at the scene where Matty Field and Kate Leadbetter were killed. Picture: Steve Pohlner

And now, as another young family lies in the morgue, why are we finally attempting to fix youth bail laws?

Through it all is a galling pretence that these were never before pressing issues.

As though the desperate pleas around the state from Townsville to Auchenflower and Southport to deal with teen gangs stealing cars never happened.

As though the many voices begging for action on domestic violence did not exist.

This is not a screaming cry to lock up all child offenders or anyone accused of DV. Nor is it an attack on magistrates under pressure to keep children out of incarceration or deal with a deluge of DVOs.

But there is a massive disconnect between the public’s outrage, the government that designs our laws and the judiciary that interprets laws.

This can no longer be ignored.

Surely it is time for a proactive response to public demand and not a reactive government scrambling to patch yet another gaping social wound.

We cannot allow another family killed before laws are fixed to meet community expectations.

Hannah and her children, Kate, Matt and their unborn son Miles should still be here.

That their crib and bunk bed should forever lie empty is not a tragic accident.

This is the horror that we have permitted.