Government’s GPS tracker trial to be extended to three Qld cities

Queensland will expand its trial of GPS trackers to three more cities, allowing juvenile offenders to live in the community. SEE WHERE

Less than 20 young criminals have been fitted with GPS trackers in the last two years, with the state government set to expand the monitoring trial of juvenile offenders to three additional cities.

From Monday, the use of ankle-worn electronic monitoring devices to track teen criminals will be extended to Toowoomba, Cairns and Mount Isa.

They join other youth crime hot spots in Townsville, North Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan and Gold Coast, which have had access to the trackers for 16 and 17-year-old recidivist offenders since mid-2021.

After the original 16 month trial, just eight kids were ordered to wear trackers but the total figure has now reached 16.

The use of ankle-worn electronic monitoring devices is being extended in Queensland. Picture: Tom Huntley

But the government has increased funding by $4m, with the extended trial to apply to young offenders aged 15 and older.

The government spruiked the devices as another instalment in its crackdown on hardcore youth offenders in the wake of the deaths of Matthew Field, Kate Leadbetter and their unborn baby Miles in Brisbane, and motorcyclist Jennifer Board in Townsville.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the low numbers of juveniles ordered to wear the devices was evidence the government’s tougher youth justice measures were working and more young offenders were behind bars rather than being monitored on the streets.

“To be clear, an electronic monitoring condition of bail is only issued if the person is being granted bail, and fewer offenders are getting bail,” he said in a statement.

“The reality is that because of strong laws – like the presumption against bail and, for the first time in Queensland’s history, a breach-of-bail offence under the Bail Act for young offenders – more serious recidivist offenders are being remanded in detention for longer.

“This in large part explains why there is a relatively small number of offenders fitted with electronic monitoring devices.”

Despite the low numbers, Mr Ryan said police had ample supplies of trackers ahead of the trial’s extension.

“The Queensland Police Service has more than 70 youth monitoring EMD kits immediately available to be used at the trial locations,” he said.

“Queensland Corrective Services has a store of additional kits available when required.”

When the original trial was announced, the devices were intended to provide an extra layer of security while an offender was on bail in the community.

But it took four months for the first GPS tracker to be handed out in Queensland.

The devices relied on the outdated 3G mobile data network, which posed network issues in many rural communities.

But Mr Ryan said the telecommunications coverage in remote regions where the trial will be expanded, particularly Mount Isa, would allow the devices to be used effectively.

WHERE TRACKERS WILL BE USED

COURTS ROLLING OUT TRACKERS

Cairns

Coolangatta

Mount Isa

Pine Rivers

Redcliffe

Southport

Toowoomba

Townsville

NEW SUBURBS WHERE OFFENDERS CAN LIVE

4344

Upper Flagstone

4350

Athol, Blue Mountain Heights, Centenary Heights, Charlton, Cotswold Hills, Cranley, Darling Heights, Drayton, East Toowoomba, Finnie, Glenvale, Gowrie Mountain, Harlaxton, Harristown, Kearneys Spring, Middle Ridge, Mount Kynoch, Mount Lofty, Mount Rascal, Newtown, North Toowoomba, Prince Henry Heights, Rangeville, Redwood, Rockville, South Toowoomba, Toowoomba City, Top Camp, Torrington, Wellcamp, Westbrook, Wilsonton, Wilsonton Heights

4352

Ballard, Birnam, Blanchview, Cabarlah, Cawdor, Cutella, Glencoe, Gowrie Junction, Gowrie Little Plain, Highfields, Hodgson Vale, Kleinton, Lilyvale, Meringandan, Meringandan West, Murphys Creek, Preston, Silver Ridge, Spring Bluff, Umbiram, Vale View, Withcott, Woolmer, Wyreema

4356

Broxburn, Linthorpe, Pittsworth

4358

Cambooya

4363

Southbrook

4400

Kingsthorpe

4401

Aubigny, Biddeston, Kings Siding, Oakey

4825

Breakaway, Fisher, Happy Valley, Healy, Kalkadoon, Lanskey, Menzies, Mica Creek, Miles End, Mornington, Mount Isa City, Parkside, Pioneer, Ryan, Soldiers Hill, Spreadborough, Sunset, The Gap, Townview, Winston

4865

Gordonvale

4868

Bayview Heights, Mount Sheridan, White Rock, Woree

4869

Bentley Park, Edmonton, Mount Peter, Wrights Creek

4870

Aeroglen, Brinsmead, Bungalow, Cairns City, Cairns North, Earlville, Edge Hill, Freshwater, Kamerunga, Kanimbla, Manoora, Manunda, Mooroobool, Parramatta Park, Portsmith, Redlynch, Stratford, Westcourt, Whitfield

4878

Barron, Caravonica, Holloways Beach, Machans Beach, Smithfield, Yorkeys Knob

4879

Clifton Beach, Ellis Beach, Kewarra Beach, Palm Cove, Trinity Beach, Trinity Park