LNP’s tough new ‘adult-crime, adult-time’ laws pass Qld parliament

The Premier’s “adult crime, adult time” laws have passed in a stunning day that revealed major divisions in the Labor Party with senior figures at odds with Steven Miles.

Premier of Queensland, David Crisafulli Picture: John Gass

• MP: Labor leaders snubbed me
• Ex-crim: Why laws won’t work

Tough new crime laws the Premier says will create fewer victims have passed parliament in a stunning day where a Labor MP attacked Steven Miles’s leadership and could quit the party.

The Making Queensland Safer Laws, which includes adult crime, adult time, was the key pillar of the LNP’s election campaign with Mr Crisafulli promising they would be delivered by Christmas.

The laws will come into effect on December 13 and ensure young criminals found guilty of certain offences face adult punishments.

A child’s criminal history would also be carried into adulthood and courts would be thrown open to victims, their families and media.

A court could also decide to allow a youth criminal to be named in some circumstances.

“Word’s getting around amongst some of the hardcore criminals that there are stronger laws on the way,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Steven Miles and other Labour MPs. Picture: John Gass

“The KPI is fewer victims of crime and that is what will drive us all the time.

“There’s been an increase in victims every single year for the last 10 years and it’s important that we create a system where there are fewer victims of crime.”

Labor backed the proposal after a 50-minute emergency meeting just hours before the vote iron out differences within the party.

The Courier-Mail revealed Jonty Bush used the heated meeting of Labor’s caucus to threaten to quit the party over its support of the government’s crime laws.

Ms Bush, a former victims of crime advocate, told colleagues she had lost confidence in Opposition Leader Steven Miles and the values of the Labor Party, according to people in the room.

In July 2000, her younger sister Jacinta – a young mum who had been through so much with a sick baby – was brutally murdered by an obsessed boyfriend. She was stabbed more than 40 times.

Just a few months later, Ms Bush's father, Robert was killed after a dispute over the custody of Jacinta's little girl. His accused killer was later acquitted using a controversial "accident" defence which meant Jonty never got to read the victim impact statement she had prepared for the court.

Outside the Labor caucus meeting, Ms Bush said she would support Mr Miles and vote with Labor, but consider her future within the party.

“We have a long and strong and proud history of doing what’s right and sticking with our values and protecting victims rights and never giving up on the children and young people,” she said.

Labor MP Jonty Bush. Picture: David Clark

“That’s my position today and I will be taking some time to have a think about my future.”

MPs were urged by the Labor leadership team to show “solidarity” and support Mr Miles’s leadership.

It’s understood 16 Labor MPs – a majority – were on Monday in favour of voting against the government’s crime laws.

On Thursday, hours before the vote, rogue members were told voting against the crime laws would hurt Labor’s chances of being elected in 2028.

They were told this was the first step to winning back government.

In addition to Ms Bush, frontbenchers Meaghan Scanlon and Mark Bailey pushed in caucus to vote against the laws, alongside Melissa McMahon, Corinne McMillan, Shane King, Joe Kelly and Barbara O’Shea.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie teased Mr Miles over the division, claiming there was a “Christmas coup coming up”.

Mr Miles told parliament Queenslanders voted for increased maximum sentences for young people who commit a range of serious offences.

“We as an opposition will not stand in the way of the Crisafulli government implementing their adult crime, adult time policy before Christmas,” he said.

Premier of Queensland, David Crisafulli Picture: John Gass

“It is clear from stakeholders that there may be a number of unintended consequences due to the short window for review and consultation, unintended consequences that could be borne by the people we should be putting first, victims of crime.”

He said Queensland needed evidence-based solutions and labelled the Bill a punitive approach to what was very much a social issue.

“The Labor caucus will not stand in the way of the LNP implementing their laws by Christmas, as they promised, but we will give voice to the concerns of experts … agreeing that harsher sentences have little-to-no-effect on deterring youth crime,” Mr Miles said.

Stakeholders warned the new laws – which override the Human Rights Act – could make Queensland less safe, put pressure on crowded watch houses and youth detention centres and clog the court system.

Mr Crisafulli acknowledged there would be short-term pressures on watch houses and prisons.

The Premier was joined by one dozen victims of crime in parliament on Thursday for a bittersweet celebration of the laws.

Cindy Micallef and Victor White Picture: John Gass

Cindy Micallef, whose mother Vyleen White was killed allegedly by a 16-year-old boy, thanked Queensland for voting for the LNP’s pledge to act on crime.

“At mum’s funeral we got off on stage and I said mum’s death will not be in vain, this is a catalyst for change and we’ll do whatever we can to make it happen,” Ms Micallef said.

“I’m just so glad that we have the opportunity today to be here with the announcement of these rules that are going to change.”

The Premier said a panel appointed next year would consider whether the laws were working or if they needed strengthening.

A second wave of crime laws would also deliver on Bruce and Denise Morcombe’s call for a public register of convicted child sex offenders – to be dubbed Daniel’s Law.