Qld Premier’s push for dangerous dog laws crackdown

Annastacia Palaszczuk says she wants councils to be given stronger powers to crack down on dangerous dogs in the wake of a spate of vicious attacks.

Annastacia Palaszczuk says she wants councils to be given stronger powers to crack down on dangerous dogs in the wake of a spate of attacks.

A long standing task force within the government has been reviewing Queensland’s dangerous dog laws since 2021.

The Premier revealed on Thursday that she had asked Agriculture Minister Mark Furner to personally reconvene the taskforce in the next week, with action to be taken before the end of the month.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“We are now seeing more and more of these dog attacks,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I understand the community concern about this.

“The other thing I am also worried about are the number of dog attacks that are happening on other dogs as well.

“But they’re actually happening on … people and children, honestly there needs to be stronger measures taken.”

She said the government would look at giving councils stronger enforcement measures, while stiffer penalties will also be considered.

Police on scene after a dog attack at Yatala on Wednesday night where a little girl was severely injured. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“I think there needs to be stronger consequences,” Ms Palaszczuk said, as she signalled the government could look at making dog owners criminally liable for attacks.

“If you’re the owner of a dog, you have a duty of care and responsibility to … make sure that that dog does not cause any injury or detriment to anyone else.

“That is an owner’s responsibility. I just think we need to step up responsibility here.”

The Local Government Association of Queensland has previously called for a range of new measures to address dangerous dogs, including giving councils additional enforcement powers.

They also want a statewide uniform ban on restricted breeds of dogs, and for courts to have the power to ban someone who has committed animal management offences from keeping animals.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said he wanted all levels of government to do what they could to prevent more dangerous dog attacks, but said it was important to know the outcomes of the Taskforce referenced by the Premier.

“My only question would be when did the Taskforce last meet, and what results come out of it?,” he said.

“That would be a fair and reasonable question for the government to answer and it would be a way of making sure Ministers are held accountable to duties that they said.

“I think (the Premier’s) comments were fine – it’s just important that people are held accountable for the duties that were set in the past as well.”