Palaszczuk under pressure to deliver on youth crime

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will “talk with people” in Townsville to make sure her new youth crime laws are passing the pub test. Here’s what she said.

• NT top cop on Townsville’s ‘significant’ order issues

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has defended the adequacy of planned increases in penalties for juvenile car thieves but says she will be “talking with people” during a two-day stay in Townsville and will consider “more ideas” and suggestions.

Ms Palaszczuk is in the city to announce a $75m critical minerals demonstration facility and attend an Australia Day flag-raising event.

But juvenile crime and the adequacy of her government’s planned reforms, including doubling the maximum penalty for stealing a car to 14 years, dominated her media conference.

Challenged on whether increased penalties would make a difference, given reports that repeat offenders are being released with no convictions recorded, Ms Palaszczuk said the courts would have the ability to take those increased penalties into account.

“I will be here for a few days so I will be talking with people. But the number one thing we can do about tackling youth crime is to get people into work and to get them in a job,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Minister for Resources and Member for Townsville Scott Stewart (L) and Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper (R) visit Sun Metals Zinc Refinery in Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate.

She said the measures would be “fast-tracked” through parliament and that the best thing the Opposition could do was support them.

Asked about community concern the reforms would not change what was occurring in Townsville, Ms Palaszczuk said the changes were comprehensive.

“There’s changes to the (Youth Justice) Act, there’s gong to be more police presence,

we are going to have a dedicated person dealing with youth crime and, like I said previously, I acknowledge it’s an issue and we are focused on fixing it.

“We‘ll always be looking at more ideas and more suggestions but I’m focused on implementing the ones I announced (after) Christmas.”

Townsville Bulletin cartoon December 30

Among the measures are:

Increasing the maximum penalty for stealing a car from 7 years to 10 years’ imprisonment;

A more severe penalty of 14 years if the offence is committed at night, where the offender uses violence or threatens violence, is armed or pretends to be armed, is in company or damages or threatens to damage any property;

Amend the Youth Justice Act requiring courts to take into account previous bail history, criminal activity and track record when sentencing;

Increased penalties for criminals who have boasted about these crimes on social media;

Extreme High Visibility Police Patrols;

A $9.89m fast-track sentencing program in Brisbane, Townsville, Southport and Cairns so children spend less time on remand and more time serving their sentences;

The construction of two new youth detention centres;

A trial of engine immobilisers in Mount Isa, Cairns and Townsville; and

The appointment within QPS of Assistant Commissioner to the position of Youth Crime Taskforce Commander;

To help prevent car theft, $10m will be provided to supply 20,000 engine immobilisers to be trialled in Mount Isa, Cairns and Townsville.

Asked when immobilisers would be rolled out, Ms Palaszczuk said the government was working on that process and that she would get an update from the police minister “in the next couple of weeks”.

Originally published as Palaszczuk under pressure to deliver on youth crime