Qld crime: What your MPs say about the ongoing crisis and how it’s being addressed
We asked every one of Queensland’s Labor MPs whether the government was doing enough to address crime, and whether their constituents were raising crime as an issue. Here’s what they said.
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We asked every one of Queensland’s Labor MPs whether the government was doing enough to address the state’s crime crisis, and whether their constituents were raising crime as an issue.
Here’s what they said:
Mark Bailey, Miller: “I listen to local residents every day, and they want to feel safe in their communities. We’ll stop at nothing to support victims of crime, to prevent crime and tackle the causes of crime.”
Nikki Boyd, Pine Rivers: “Communities deserve to feel safe and that’s what I’m hearing. We’ve delivered new and tougher laws and more resources for specific police operations. It’s making a difference but if our police need more, we will deliver it. I’m always listening to my community.”
Don Brown, Capalaba: “I will always listen to the people in my community, following their feedback, we have strengthened the laws to get these people off the streets. If our police need more to do their job, we will listen and deliver it to them.”
Jonty Bush, Cooper: “My constituents have made it clear to me they expect to feel safe in their communities, my focus has always been on supports and recognition for victims of crime. Every crime has a victim who is often traumatised. I think the government has the right focus on preventing crime and supporting victims.”
Glenn Butcher, Gladstone: “There are 1,600 more approved police positions, including extra positions in my electorate of Gladstone, today than there were when we came to government and our extreme high visibility patrols are working. Our police need more resources and I am confident the government will provide them.”
Craig Crawford, Barron River: “Extreme high visibility patrols are already making an impact and making our community safer and that’s what my constituents are saying they want.”
Yvette D’Ath, Redcliffe: “I’ve listened to my community, everything police need in the toolbox, the Premier has stated we will provide them. Whatever they need to keep our communities safe.”
Mick de Brenni, Springwood: “I believe everyone deserves to feel safe, and the Premier has made it clear if police say they need something more, we stand ready to work with them. I get it – people are concerned, and that’s why if a crime occurs locally, we absolutely discuss what the police, the courts and the government are doing about it.”
Cameron Dick, Woodridge: “When I speak to people in my community of Woodridge and across the state, community safety and crime are among the issues they raise. Thanks to the 14 per cent increase to QPS funding in last year’s budget, we are now recruiting more police than ever before. Our increased investment in tackling youth crime includes: funding for extreme high-visibility police patrols, a new specialist youth crime rapid response squad, Youth Co-responder Teams, additional early action groups, and Police Liaison Officer high-visibility proactive patrols. If the QPS need more resources, we are always ready to provide them.”
Leeanne Enoch, Algester: “My local community is always talking to me about a wide range of issues. Our government will always do all that can be done to support local communities including boosting frontline services.”
Di Farmer, Bulimba: “The Government is committed to keeping the community safe with the strongest laws in the nation. Queensland has more young people in detention than any other state or territory because our strong laws are working. We are keeping our community safe through initiatives such as our $64 million dollars in high visibility policing operations,
making breach of bail an offence for young offenders with over 1,700 child defendants charged, increasing penalties for stolen vehicles with over 93% of offenders convicted under the new Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle (UUMV) circumstance of aggravation, strengthening conditional release orders, new declaration of serious repeat offenders, expanding the joint flying squads, extending the Youth Crime Taskforce. We are tackling the complex causes of crime through initiatives such as: more investment in grassroot early intervention, such as expanding Intensive Case Management with a 72% reduction in the proportion of crimes against the person, youth Co-Responder Teams active in 13 locations have had over 92,000 contacts with at risk young people, announcements of Putting Queensland Kids First – our early years strategy to address some of the key influencers for children ending up in the youth justice system, funding high visibility police patrols with over 50,000 proactive police activities across 15 locations, our $50 million investment into PCYCs, further investment of $4 million in On Country programs, $288 million Education Engagement Package. We are supporting victims with initiatives such as a $200 million enhanced assistance for victims of crime, appointing Interim Victims Commissioner, $30 million helping seniors secure their homes, $10 million implementing the Secondary Engine Immobiliser Subsidy Trial. The residents of Bulimba know my focus has always been on my community and that their safety is my number one priority. The government will continue to throw everything at this and do whatever we can to keep our communities safe.”
Shannon Fentiman, Waterford: “I’ve heard my community loud and clear. Our Government has a plan to invest in more prevention and intervention services to make sure young people have the support they need and break the cycle of reoffending. At the same time, we are also investing in more frontline police. Together, these initiatives are making sure that the Logan community is safer.”
Mark Furner, Ferny Grove: “Crime’s been raised by constituents as an issue. I’ve listened and the government as a whole is listening. We’ve acted already with huge funding boosts for police to get on with the job. If there’s more we can do, we will listen and act. And I’d like to thank the police in the electorate of Ferny Grove, who do a terrific job and whose public presence is quite evident.”
Grace Grace, McConnel: “Community safety has always been an important issue and my constituents have raised it with me. The residents of McConnel deserve our full support, particularly in times of tragedy. Each crime has a victim, and it can be traumatising. The government has been implementing new strategies and investing in community safety without hesitation, and we are recruiting more police officers than ever.”
Julianne Gilbert: Mackay: “I listen to all my constituents, what they are telling me is that they want these harden criminals off the streets and that is what we are doing with stronger laws and more police.”
Aaron Harper, Thuringowa: “We’re listening to our community and doing everything we can to deliver safer communities. My local police have told me that Taskforce Guardian, a dedicated flying squad of Senior Officers who target hardcore offending, has already led to a significant reduction in crime in Townsville. We have also established a Youth Justice Reform Select Committee which is currently holding public hearings in Regional Queensland.”
Michael Healy, Cairns: “People in my community want to feel safe and I’m listening to them. We have to go hard on crime and the causes of crime, which is why we are delivering more police and more high visibility patrols while also investing in intervention and prevention.”
Stirling Hinchliffe, Sandgate: “My community has raised the issue of crime with me, which is why the Government has bolstered frontline police and provided additional resources.
If they need more I’m confident the Premier will deliver it.”
Jennifer Howard, Ipswich: “Community safety comes first. We are listening to our communities and they’ve made it clear more needs to be done. We’ve hired more police and you can see them in the streets doing a great job. I support the community’s calls for more CCTV surveillance in key areas.”
Jason Hunt, Caloundra: “Everyday people come into my office and raise all manner of issues sometimes including crime. I listen to all of them and I’m confident the Miles Government will listen and provide whatever resources needed for police to do their job.”
Joe Kelly, Greenslopes: “Constituents in my electorate raise a variety of matters and no matter the nature, I work tirelessly to understand, advocate and construct solutions that support our community. Our Government will do whatever it can to prevent crime and support victims.”
Ali King, Pumicestone: “We are doing everything we can to ensure our communities are safe and we will provide police with everything they need to do their job. We know that the LNP’s plan for youth crime would make things worse, exposing minor offenders to hardened criminals.”
Shane King, Kurwongbah: “Everyone deserves to feel safe, that’s why we’re delivering more police and stronger laws. We’ll give police whatever they need to get on with the job.”
Brittany Lauga, Keppel: “We are recruiting more police here in Queensland than ever, and it’s making a difference. I meet with victims of crime every single week and I completely understand how they feel. People deserve to feel safe and we’ll do whatever we can to keep them safe.”
Leanne Linard, Nudgee: “I have listened to concerned locals and have been working with police in our community to ensure we all feel safe. If Police need additional resources, I will advocate for these resources and I have no doubt that the Miles Government will deliver.”
Cynthia Lui, Cook: “In an electorate as large as mine, people raise all manner of issues, including crime. I listen to everyone who calls me, speaks to me in the electorate, or walks through my door. We have delivered additional frontline police and strengthened the laws. If the police need more, we will give it to them.”
James Martin, Stretton: “I have been speaking to my community and they deserve to feel supported in this tragic time. The State Government will ensure our communities are kept safe with our investments in high visibility police resources and more police on the ground.”
Lance McCallum, Bundamba: “This horrific crime has shocked my community to its core. We are hurting but we are strong and are focused on supporting Vyleen’s family. There are more police locally than ever before and we continue to make record investment in police personnel. I’m glad extra patrols and a mobile police beat were immediately deployed to Town Square Shopping Centre.”
Melissa McMahon, Macalister: “As a former police officer I know just how hard our police are working. There are doing a great job and if they need anything else to be able to get on with the job I’m here to listen to them and fight for it. As for my community, my focus is on listening to them and ensuring that victims of crime have all the support they need.”
Corrine McMillan, Mansfield: “We’re doing everything we can to support our police and keep communities safe. I speak to my local police and they are grateful for the additional resources, but if they need more they will get it.”
Bart Mellish, Aspley: “Locals raise a lot of issues with me, and crime is included in that. We’ve provided police with specific funding to conduct extreme high-visibility patrols, the feedback is that it’s already working. I’m regularly in touch with my local police so we can work together to enhance the safety of our community”.
Charis Mullen, Jordan: “I’ve been speaking with my community and residents are hurt and angry, and we’re listening at this tragic time. Our police have our full support and whatever they need to keep hardened criminals off the streets, they will get. I’d also like to thank the police in my electorate of Jordan, who do an amazing job every day.”
Barry O’Rourke, Rockhampton: “I’m listening, and we are throwing everything we have at the issue; more police and more police resources in Rockhampton. Locals deserve to feel safe and we will stop at nothing to make sure that they do.”
Joan Pease, Lytton: “We all want to feel safe in our community and we will stop at nothing to make sure locals feel safe. We are listening and delivering with more Police on the ground already making a difference.”
Curtis Pitt, Mulgrave: “I have heard our community’s concern about crime and I want to make sure we do everything we can to keep people safe in Far North Queensland. The Government is backing in our police with more frontline officers and dedicated resources to increase police presence in our community.”
Linus Power, Logan: “People have been saying to me that they want more police on the ground – we’ve delivered that and ensure that police have the resources they need to be out and visible. I work closely with local police stations in Browns Plains and Jimboomba and pushed hard to deliver the new Yarrabilba-Logan Village Station. It’s already helping and if police need more resources, I will fight for it.”
Jess Pugh, Mount Ommaney: “Some Mount Ommaney constituents have raised concerns and I have listened, having spoken with many locals at my regular coffee with a cop catch ups. Our government has made sure that there are more police on the front line, and it is starting to pay dividends. Of course, if our police think that there is more we can do, we will always listen to them. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their homes.
Kim Richards, Redlands: “Locals have shared their concerns about crime with me, as always, I’ll continue to listen to them and I’ve been clear that if police in our communities need more to tackle crime, then they will get it from this government.”
Peter Russo, Toohey: “I firmly believe everyone should be safe in their own homes and I take my responsibilities to my community seriously.”
Mark Ryan, Morayfield: “The government and police will never relent when it comes to supporting community safety. We are always open to new approaches and strategies, as evidenced by our continued implementation of new and tougher laws and extra investments in specific police operations. The government has provided police with specific funding to conduct extreme high-visibility police patrols. Police advise this is having an impact on offending behaviour. Another example of a specific measure aimed to support community safety was the establishment of Taskforce Guardian, a dedicated flying squad of senior officers who target hardcore offending around the state. Police advise the operations of Taskforce Guardian have led to a reduction in crime in Townsville, for example. Constituents in my electorate raise a variety of matters, including crime issues. It’s been my experience that a majority of constituents who contact my electorate office raise matters in relation to Domestic Violence. It’s incredibly important that the government and the community as a whole work together to address this blight on our society. Speaking more generally, the reality is that even one instance of crime is totally unacceptable. For every crime there is a victim and it can be traumatising. That’s why police and the government will relentlessly target those who wish to do harm to the community. Community safety is always paramount.”
Bruce Saunders, Maryborough: “We are hearing our communities loud and clear and we are doing everything we can to keep them safe with more frontline police and high visibility patrols. Community safety is non-negotiable.”
Meaghan Scanlon, Gaven: “I always listen to the community I represent about their concerns, including on community safety. As the daughter of a retired police officer, I’ll always listen and be an advocate for those serving on the frontline.”
Rob Skelton, Nicklin: “Even one instance of crime is unacceptable. We will stop at nothing to reduce the rates of crime. Our plan is already working with more police on the streets, and crime rates dropping in my community.”
Tom Smith, Bundaberg: “Community safety must always be put first. The Miles Government and I are listening to the community and our law enforcement experts. In working closely with our Bundaberg Patrol Inspector, we both recognise the importance of a unified approach to supporting crime prevention. In Bundaberg, more Police resources have been provided with outcomes being achieved. If our Police need more resources, they will get it.”
Scott Stewart, Townsville: “The Premier and I are listening to people in my community. We secured a police helicopter in Townsville and combined with more high visibility patrols, this is already making a difference.”
Jimmy Sullivan, Stafford: “My community wants us to prevent crime in the first place. They understand the causes of crime are complex with services, interventions, and prevention. We are investing more in those services to get kids the best possible start and on the right track. We are also working hard to divert young Queenslanders from going down that pathway, like work to re-engage young people with school and appropriate community, training, and sporting programs”
Adrian Tantari, Hervey Bay: “My local coppers have been doing a great job. We can see them on the street and crime is dropping because of their work. But even one crime is too many, and we will provide what ever resources our police need to keep the people of Hervey Bay safe.”
Les Walker, Mundingburra: “Through my whole time in Government, I’ve listened to my community and concerns. Police are doing everything they can to keep hardcore criminals off our streets and our communities safe. If they need more to do their jobs, we will deliver it.”
Chris Whiting, Bancroft: “Our local communities know the kind of heartbreak associated with these tragic events. We have delivered stronger laws and more police resources last year, and if police need more to do their job we will give it to them.”
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