LNP defends ‘adult crime, adult time’ policy as more details revealed

David Crisafulli has again defended the LNP’s youth crime pledge, as more details of how it would work are revealed.

• Analysis: Premier not hungry for fight

Judges and magistrates would still be able to slap young criminals with the “most appropriate” punishment under the LNP’s plan to ensure children who commit the most heinous crimes serve adult prison time.

But Opposition Leader David Crisafulli is adamant the “adult crime, adult time” plan will act as a deterrent - in turn reducing the number of children needing to be locked up in the state’s already overcrowded youth prisons.

But as Mr Crisafulli took his major pre-election pitch north to the political battleground of Townsville, there continue to be calls for more detail, and some criticism.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli in Townsville on Tuesday.

High-profile solicitor Bill Potts said the proposal was “short-sighted electoral priming” rather than a thought out strategy to lessen the causes of crime.

“It’s catnip for those in fear with the sweet false promise of reform and safety but lacking any real commitment to solutions,” he said.

“It’s incumbent on the LNP to not only explain their plan but also set out the evidence-based thinking and facts that inform the policy.

“At the moment it’s a cheap slogan in search of a cogent basis.”

Mr Potts said the policy was a “failure” to youth in Queensland and described it as “brutal, regressive retribution and punishment”.

“The underlying truth of the Youth Justice legislation rightly recognises that children do not have the same capabilities as adults to recognise the effects of their actions and lack the capacity to control their own actions,” he said.

“What is proposed in the proposed legislation is to say that, despite this settled knowledge, Queensland will ignore the facts and make a number of offences subject to adult penalties.

“It can’t be about deterrence because children, let alone most adults, don’t factor this into their decision to commit an offence.

“It can’t be about rehabilitation of the young as jailing our way out of trouble as everybody knows doesn’t work in the long or short term.

“They should call it what is. “Brutal, regressive retribution and punishment.

“This is not a policy, a plan or a solution. It is a slogan. It is a failure of seriousness and commitment to the youth of our state.”

Criminal lawyer Bill Potts called the LNP’s proposal short-sighted. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Mr Crisafulli’s visit to Townsville comes as Premier Steven Miles, in Hughenden on Tuesday, is due to arrive in the northern capital from Wednesday as part of an ongoing series of “community cabinets”.

Mr Crisafulli appeared alongside a victim of crime, 81-year-old Noeleen Hay, and the LNP’s candidates for the three seats - Adam Baillie (Townsville), Janelle Poole (Mundingburra) and Natalie Marr (Thuringowa).

The LNP’s plan is to change the Youth Justice Act to ensure children committing serious crimes including murder, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and dangerous operation and unlawful use of a motor vehicle would be sentenced as adults.

Under the LNP, detention as a last resort would also be removed from youth sentencing considerations.

Opposition youth justice spokeswoman Laura Gerber said more offences could be added, based on the advice of an “expert panel” consisting of police, the judiciary and victims the LNP would set up if it takes government in October.

“We want to ensure there are no unintended consequences (from the laws),” she said.

“But we’ve named five key offences that are non-negotiables that must be included as adult crime adult time, because those are the offences that victims and overwhelmingly this community is calling for.”

Ms Gerber, asked to outline how much more time behind bars a child would get under the changes, said it was “more complicated” than stating different sentences.

Townsville candidate Adam Baillie, crime victim Noeleen Hay, Thuringowa candidate Natalie Marr, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and Shadow Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber in Townsville.

She said it would depend on the level of offending, including if there were aggravating circumstances like a victim being physically injured.

“It could be upwards of life if manslaughter is involved… (for) unlawful use of a motor vehicle,” Ms Gerber said.

“But at the moment we’re seeing juveniles sentenced to less than a year, they’re getting a couple of months for unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

“Bearing in mind, judges and magistrates still have the ability to take into account all the circumstances of the offending and provide the most appropriate sentence that fits the crime.”

The policy has been slammed by experts including the Queensland Law Society which has labelled the move adding “fuel to the fire” of the state’s youth crime crisis.

Mr Crisafulli said “not everyone” will agree with every element of the policy. He said the LNP had consulted frontline police officers, victims groups and people working in early intervention.

“I’m confident this policy will work and it will stop increasing levels of offending because the deterrent will be there,” he said.

“Overwhelmingly Queenslanders know that the youth crime crisis and the number of victims cannot continue. And time’s up for the current approach.”

Queensland Premier Steven Miles insists the policy was nothing more than a “four-word slogan”. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Miles again blasted the Opposition’s policy as a “four-word slogan” while defending the government’s investment in rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders.

“Those that work, we invest more in - that’s really the difference between our plan and the LNP slogan,” he said.

“Our plan is evidence-based and expert informed and is comprehensive.

“Their plan is just another four-word slogan without any real detail and I certainly don’t think you’ll find too many experts endorsing their plan.”

Bond University criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy said further detail was needed about how children would be sentenced.

“At the moment it is a four word slogan which is quite catchy but what does it mean exactly?” he said.

“This is where the policy really needs to be detailed.”

Criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy said the policy needed more detail. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Noeleen Hay, 81, who accompanied Mr Crisafulli on Tuesday became a victim of crime when she was unloading groceries from her boot and onto her driveway about 5pm on July 5 when approximately five offenders pushed her to the ground, grabbed her purse, and jumped into her car.

Noeleen Hay.

She instinctively grabbed onto the door handle of car in a bid to fight back but realised they would easily run her over.

“Those mongrels, sorry for swearing, but they just sped off and they had my bag, all my cards, everything you name it, they just got that out of my hand as I was getting it out of the boot,” Mrs Hay said.

“(Crime) can happen anywhere but I didn’t expect it to happen to me. You know you think it happens to other people, you hear about it, but you don’t think you’re going to be a victim.

“All these people should be locked up and then throw the key away. If they repeat get rid of them all together. Put them in a coffin. That’s my way of thinking. I know it’s not right, but there’s just too much of that going on.”

Her neighbours, on Carr St in Hermit Park, ran to her aid. Mrs Hay was taken to hospital and treated for her scrapes and bruises.

Her car has not yet been found, though it is suspected to be submerged in the Ross River near her home.

Originally published as LNP defends ‘adult crime, adult time’ policy as more details revealed