Premier Steven Miles confirms major youth crime initiatives brought forward
The banning of the sale of knives to children is set to be brought forward as part of a string of fast-tracked youth crime initiatives, Premier Steven Miles has announced.
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Police want to be granted powers to frisk people at Queensland shopping centres for weapons under a potential expansion of knife laws.
The measure was one of four new actions announced by Premier Steven Miles after a meeting of the state government’s cabinet on Monday, which in a rare move was briefed by Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll.
The new initiatives also include fast-tracking a planned ban on the sale of knives to children, increasing the maximum punishment for possessing a knife in public from 12 to 18 months and potentially expanding the use of ankle monitors on children.
It comes amid heightened fear over youth crime, which was thrust back into the spotlight after Ipswich grandmother Vyleen White was allegedly stabbed to death by youths in an underground car park of a shopping centre on February 3.
“All of these actions fit within our broader framework of preventing, intervening and detaining where necessary,” Mr Miles said.
“If we can stop the sale of a weapon to a young person then we will have prevented a crime. If we can monitor them on bail and stop them breaching their bail, then we will have intervened to stop a crime.”
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll called for an increase in police wanding powers as she warned the nature of offending had “truly changed” since Covid-19
The use of wanding powers would be useful, particularly at shopping centres, she said.
“We know [this is an issue] already from picking kids up with knives at transport hubs, making their way into shopping centres where they frequent,” she said.
Jack’s Law — which give police powers to use handheld metal detectors to search people for knives — have not been locked in, but shopping centres are a likely target.
Wanding operations through Jack’s Law — which give police powers to use handheld metal detectors to search people for knives — have resulted in the seizure of 450 weapons and the arrest of more than 1200 people since early 2023.
The laws banning retailers from selling gel blasters, replica guns and knives to children were introduced last year, but Mr Miles confirmed the passage of the legislation through the parliament would be brought forward.
It is expected parliament, when it meets this week for the first time in 2024, will debate and likely pass the laws meaning it could be enacted within days.
Under those laws, supported by the Opposition, it would become a crime to sell gel blasters, replica guns, machetes, axes, and other bladed items like swords to people under 18.
Retailers would be forced to display signage outlining rules against selling those items to juveniles and anyone caught trying to use fake identification to skirt the rules will face severe penalties.
The proposed laws will bring the state into line with other Australian jurisdictions, and comes after years of campaigning by grieving families of fatal stabbing victims and others who have terrifying encounters with criminals using realistic looking toy guns.
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the “drop dead” date for when retailers can no longer sell knives to children will be worked through, with discussions to be had amid moves to pass the laws as soon as possible.
He confirmed any retailer which chose to restrict knife sales immediately once the law passes will be supported to do so.
The state government will also explore how to increase the use of ankle monitors among youth offenders.
This despite the low use of the measure since its introduction in May 2021.
A report evaluating the effectiveness of GPS trackers for children, undertaken by former police commissioner Bob Atkinson and released in 2023, could not conclusively say if the measure worked.
The report noted only children with a stable address, access to a mobile phone and electricity, and parents willing to make sure they comply can be eligible among other criteria.
Commissioner Carroll said the increase use of ankle monitors would help reduce police workload on bail checks, which number in the thousands.
The fourth measure will involve changing legislation to make the maximum penalty for possessing a knife in a public place 18 months up from 12 months.
Opposition Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie slammed Mr Miles’ announcement, saying what the government should do is to put more police on the beat and get rid of laws which dictate detention of children should be used as a last resorts.
“I would have thought he would have come out today with concrete solid proposals and plans to legislate and he hasn’t. All he’s done is say we’re going to consider things, we’re going to look at things,” he said.
PeakCare Queensland chief executive Tom Allsop said expansion of wanding trials may result in the detection and removal of more knives from the streets but it wouldn’t “have any effect on the reason young people are continuing to carrying knives”.
“It is critical we also understand and address the reason why young people are carrying knives if we want to eliminate knife crime,” he said.
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