Raising age of responsibility will give young offenders a ‘hall pass’, MP Nick Dametto warns

A North Queensland MP has warned the state government of disastrous consequences if the age of criminal responsibility changes.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto is urging the state government to not consider raising the age of criminal responsibility, warning it will be a “hall pass” for young offenders to do what they want.

It comes as a private members bill to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 in Queensland, proposed by Greens MP Michael Berkman, will come before the state parliament for debate in the coming weeks.

The Katter’s Australian Party MP, who’s firmly against the bill, said the changes would be a slap in the face for communities in North Queensland who are “under siege” by recidivist juvenile offenders.

He said the Palaszczuk Government needed to “come clean” on their position on the issue ahead of the debate.

Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto flanked by Bob Katter, the federal member of Kennedy, and Shane Knuth, the MP for Hill. Picture: Cameron Bates

“Labor supporting this woke Green’s move would be an utter slap in the face for those suffering under the Labor Government’s crime epidemic,” Mr Dametto said.

“The Criminal Law (raising the age of responsibility) Amendment Bill 2021 aims to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years old while taking away what little powers Police officers still have in charging, holding at-risk youths and keeping evidence collected from someone under the age of 14.”

Greens Maiwar MP Michael Berkman, who’s pushing the bill, said Queensland’s minimum age of criminal responsibility was out of line with international jurisdictions.

“Medical evidence shows 10-13 year olds don’t have the neurodevelopmental capacity to control impulses or foresee and understand consequences, so criminalising them like adults don’t work,” he said.

Greens Member for Maiwar Michael Berkman. Picture: Liam Kidston

“In fact, early contact with the criminal legal system has been shown to increase a child’s likelihood of reoffending. We need to invest in solutions that work, not more prison cells.”

Meanwhile, Mr Dametto claims that being in detention was a “getaway from the realities at home or in residential youth care homes” for many at-risk kids in North Queensland.

“Most of these kids who are out there breaking the law don’t have a great, supportive network of family and friends looking out for them; in many cases, their parents have failed them, and so has the government,” he said.

“Simply letting these offenders off the hook just to reoffend tomorrow night isn’t the answer.

“At 10, 11, 12 and 13, these kids know what they’re doing; at 14, they’re just going to know how to do it better.

“The fact the Queensland Police Union rejected calls to raise the age of criminal responsibility speaks volumes.”

Originally published as Raising age of responsibility will give young offenders a ‘hall pass’, MP Nick Dametto warns