Deputy Premier Steven Miles says there have been ‘failings’ in approach to youth crime

Queensland’s Youth Justice Minister says the level of youth crime in Townsville is “absolutely appalling” and is open to suggestions for a solution, but there’s one route she’s not prepared to travel down.

Queensland’s Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard says youth crime in Townsville is “absolutely appalling”, but would not commit to mandatory sentencing for juveniles.

Speaking in Townsville, Ms Linard said a series of meetings between Government and police would ensure “good evidence-based ideas” would be thought of to tackle Queensland’s youth crime problem.

“If there are good evidence based ideas... to ensure community safety, then that’s what we’ll do,” she said.

“Mandatory sentencing does not work. But we’ll listen to all suggestions. We are listening.

“We strengthened the bail laws last year. The Government has also invested... half a billion dollars into the youth justice system.”

Ms Linard dismissed suggestions that she had dodged the media since the deaths of Kate Leadbetter and Matthew Field in Brisbane last week.

The pair were allegedly killed by a teenage boy who has since been charged with two counts of murder.

Leanne Linard MP, Minister for Children and Youth Justice and Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Photographer: Liam Kidston

“I’ve responded to every query I’ve had,” Ms Linard said.

“We’re all talking and we’ll continue to talk.

“This is my third trip to Townsville, there’s been no desire not to engage with the media.”

“I say to victims of youth crime, that’s awful, what’s happened to them. It shouldn’t have happened to them and we’ll do everything in our power to ensure it doesn’t again.”

Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Taylor said in the last seven days in Queensland there had been 11 matters involving the unlawful use of motor vehicles.

Eighteen children were involved in these incidents and six of those were on some form of bail, he said.

Mr Taylor said a lack of guardianship for children in the area was responsible for the problem.

“It’s a tragedy that you have 13, 14, 15-year-olds out at all hours of the night - no guardianship whatsoever,” he said.

“What I’m asking people to do, if you’re a guardian of a young person... make sure they’re at home. Police are not babysitters.

“These things did not happen a long time ago when I was a kid.”

Both Ms Linard and Mr Taylor supported a review of youth bail laws in Queensland.

Queensland’s Deputy Premier Steven Miles this morning admitted there have been “failings” with the state’s approach to youth crime, admitting that a number of incidents “frankly shouldn’t have happened”.

“Clearly there have been failings recently – there have been some incidents that frankly shouldn’t have happened,” Mr Miles said this morning.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The issue of youth justice and the state’s bail laws have been in the spotlight since the death on Australia Day of Kate Leadbetter, Matt Field and their unborn child Miles at Alexandra Hills.

In another incident at the weekend, police in Townsville were involved in an accident involving a teenage driver out on bail.

Three officers were injured.

Speaking on Brisbane radio this morning, Mr Miles said there was no “simple answer” to stopping Queensland’s troubled youth from reoffending at a high rate,.

He said he had taken comments by Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll that laws needed to be beefed up around young offenders very seriously.

Mrs Carroll yesterday said the Police Service would draft its own solutions to present to the State Government.

“We need to go back and have a look at the laws and see whether we can come up with any other strategies and initiatives and see what it is with these current laws and see if they can be strengthened,” she said.

Flowers for Kate Leadbetter and Matty Field at the intersection of Vienna and Finucane roads at Alexandra Hills. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Miles said the Government would consider any submission by the Police Commissioner.

“I saw those comments, I saw she would be putting to us some suggestion on how we can support them better – and we’ll consider that.

“There’s no simple answer here or silver bullet, but we need to keep working at it, and keep improving our systems – that’s what we’ve committed to do,” he added.