Labor, LNP leaders clash on youth crime during Rockhampton visit

Less than 24 hours after a man allegedly attempted to murder his wife in a home in Rockhampton, LNP opposition leader David Crisafulli and his shadow cabinet were door knocking in the next street.

Ann Leahy and Trevor Watts of the LNP Shadow Cabinet in Frenchville on September 4. A woman was allegedly stabbed in an attempted murder the day before in the suburb.

Less than 24 hours after a man allegedly attempted to murder his wife in a home in the Rockhampton suburb of Frenchville, LNP opposition leader David Crisafulli and his shadow cabinet were door knocking in the next street discussing local issues such as crime.

After Mr Crisafulli’s team posed for selfies while hitting the streets of the quiet neighbourhood, he and opposition spokesman for police Dale Last savaged the Queensland Government’s youth crime policy and outlined their own outside the Rockhampton Police Station.

Acting Premier Steven Miles traded barbs later in the day during a quick visit to the Rockhampton Zoo to inspect a $540,000 Queensland Government-funded enclosure for wedge-tailed eagle Valkyrie.

Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke stood at Mr Miles’ side at the zoo, but MP Brittany Lauga did not attend the event held outside her Keppel electorate.

The acting Premier’s visit comes within weeks of the LNP announcing its rival for the seat of Keppel at the 2024 State Election, Yeppoon teacher Nigel Hutton, who was out door knocking with the LNP MPs whose ranks he hopes to join in parliament.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli door knocking in Rockhampton with LNP candidate for Keppel, Nigel Hutton. Picture: Facebook

The LNP has not announced a candidate for the seat of Rockhampton.

Ms Lauga said it was good the LNP appeared to be listening, but suggested it might have been better for them to do it elsewhere.

“It’s a bit insensitive to door knock a street where there was allegedly a murder attempt on a woman less than 24 hours earlier,” she said.

“There’s thousands of streets in the electorate of Keppel and they chose that one.”

A single police car at the scene of where a woman was allegedly stabbed on the night of Sunday, September 3.

Ms Lauga was unfazed by Mr Hutton door knocking with a squad of LNP MPs in tow to help get his campaign off the ground.

“I’ve door knocked tens of thousands of houses and phone calls in the last eight years,” she said.

Mr Crisafulli said he was “really rocked” by one story he heard while door knocking with Mr Hutton in North Rockhampton during the LNP’s two day stay in the Beef Capital.

“A resident said ‘I have been broken into and that’s terrible, but I’m the lucky one, my neighbour has been broken into a few times’,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“How on earth have we reached a point in Queensland where someone feels lucky they have only been broken into once.

“Is it any wonder Queenslanders are living through a youth crisis.”

Shadow Police Minister Dale Last and Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli outside Rockhampton Police Station on August 5, 2023. Picture: Aden Stokes

Mr Miles said he found it “a bit sick” the LNP would “swoop into town looking to take political advantage from the hardship of victims of crime”.

Mr Crisafulli defended door knocking in the area near the alleged attempted murder and said the issue of youth crime came up “time and time again”.

“We had our shadow cabinet meeting at CQU and we left from there,” he said.

“We are determined to listen to Queenslanders across the board.”

Mr Crisafulli said if elected to government, the LNP would have a victim on the sentencing advisory panel, to ensure someone with lived experience was involved.

He said the Queensland Government had watered down the laws and created a “generation of untouchables”.

“We will continue to put our solutions forward, including consequences for action, removing detention as a last resort, and above all gold standard early intervention to turn the next generation of young crims around,“ Mr Crisafulli said.

“I want Queenslanders to know we will be a strong government and there will be consequences for action, but we will also do all we can to be compassionate and be able to turn kids around from a lifetime of crime.”

LNP MPs Trevor Watts and Ann Leahy door knocking near the Constantia Cres, Frenchville home where a man allegedly stabbed his wife on Sunday, September 3.

Mr Miles praised the local Labor members for their hard work and claimed holding more young people in detention was the LNP’s “signature policy”.

“On (Mr Crisafulli’s) supposed solutions, the one thing every expert agrees will drive more young people to commit more crime is detaining them when that is not necessary,” Mr Miles said.

“We should only use detention when we absolutely have to for the safety of the community.”

He said Labor had an expert informed, comprehensive plan for early intervention, crime prevention and rehabilitation and it is a comprehensive plan formed by the evidence.

Steven Miles and Barry O’Rourke at Rocky Zoo. Pic Annette Dew

Speaking on domestic violence, Mr Crisafulli said, “we have to do all we can to make sure domestic violence continues to come out of the shadows”.

Geoffrey Ernest White has been charged with attempted murder (domestic violence) for the alleged stabbing of Amy Elizabeth White in Frenchville on Sunday, September 23.

The victim of the alleged stabbing, Amy White, was still in a serious condition on Tuesday, two days after the stabbing.

Amy Elizabeth White was allegedly stabbed by her husband Geoffrey Ernest White, 52, at a home on Constantia Cres, Frenchville, on Sunday, September 23.

Mr White was charged with one count of attempted murder (domestic violence) and was remanded in custody.

Ms White was in a stable condition as of Wednesday.