Protesters rally at Brisbane Parliament House against laws to allow children’s human rights to be overridden to see them placed in police watch houses indefinitely
Protesters have descended on Brisbane’s Parliament House to rally against new laws that will allow children to be held in watch houses indefinitely.
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Protesters have descended on Brisbane’s Parliament House to rally against new laws that will allow children to be held in watch houses indefinitely.
It’s the second time in two days that protesters have marched on parliament, with angry crime victims taking to the streets on Wednesday.
Advocacy groups slammed the move for Queensland’s police watch houses to be declared official youth prisons and human rights law protecting children overridden under the extraordinary laws put forward by Police Minister Mark Ryan.
Around 100 protesters gathered late on Thursday afternoon, demanding human rights.
Green MP, Michael Berkman was one of the first to address the crowds, stating he’s “f--king ashamed to be part of this institution”.
“I feel so sad, I feel f--king ashamed to be apart of this institution,” he said.
Change The Record National Director Maggie Munn said there must be accountability and an end to the overriding of the human rights act.
“Mark Ryan sits in there with private school boys this afternoon, but will he sit with the young Aboriginal and Torres Island children that he criminalises?,” Ms Munn said.
Sisters Inside Community Development Officer, Ruby Wharton, criticised the move.
“Yesterday afternoon we heard the Queensland Parliament are committed to incarcerating these vulnerable children,” she said.
“This government has said to those children and their families that they do not deserve human rights in this state.
“That their place in this state is behind bars with no windows and with no access to support, family or any other entity that cares for their best interests.
“This is the exact message that Parliament sent to First Nation people and communities, that we don’t have the place or society for you to embark on.”
It comes as the state government admits the youth detention centres are not meeting demand and emergency measures are needed to hold young offenders.
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