Voice for Victims email ministers as state given ultimatum

A vocal victims of crime advocacy group has delivered an ultimatum to the Palaszczuk government a week after it marched on parliament.

A vocal victims of crime advocacy group has delivered an ultimatum to the Palaszczuk government after its highly publicised march on parliament last week.

The Voice for Victims emailed all relevant ministers this morning, warning the deadline for the government to act on their demands was nearing its end.

Voice for Victims founder Ben Cannon. Picture: Samantha Scott

Ben Cannon, the group’s founder and neighbour to Toutai Kefu who became active representing victims after the violent home invasion at the rugby great’s home, met with Police Minister Mark Ryan, Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath and Youth Crime Minister Di Farmer last week.

He warned the vocal group would continue campaigning in the community if the government fails to agree to their demands.

During the meeting, the group called for the ministers to agree to meaningfully engage the group’s seven key recommendations within 10 business days, which included the creation of a parliamentary justice reform committee reporting directly to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

“The purpose of this letter is to ensure the Hon the Premier and relevant ministers understand that ‘meaningful engagement’ for victims means: Our seven recommendations provided to ministers are not up for debate,” Mr Cannon wrote.

Voice for Victims march on Parliament House last week. Picture: Liam Kidston

The advocate said the group wants to work with ministers to develop the recommendations if the government agrees to meaningfully engage with Voice for Victims.

“Should the government see fit not to accept ‘meaningful engagement’ as above, then we see no purpose in meeting on this issue,” Mr Cannon declared.

“In that unfortunate event, we will continue to engage with the Queensland public in Brisbane and major centres across Queensland to organise peaceful public demonstrations of community concern at the crime crisis and seek support for our recommendations.

“Given that innocent lives have been lost and or shattered and that experts can provide evidence of many millions of dollars being misdirected to ineffective responses, then we have no option but to continue to fight for victims’ voices to be heard and for implementation of our recommendations to repair a broken system.”