Gold Coast youth crime: LNP slams State Government’s plan to crackdown on young offenders

The State Government’s youth crime crackdown has been dismissed as “false hope and hollow promises”.

THE State Government’s youth crime crackdown has been dismissed as “false hope and hollow promises” by the Opposition.

The State Government will today announce sweeping changes in a multimillion-dollar statewide crackdown on ‘kindergarten crooks’.

The State Government announced its crackdown on youth crime this morning.

A five-point plan signed off by the Government on Monday includes:

● Tougher action on bail which would see offenders who are considered a risk to the community remain locked up.

● A police blitz on bail, appealing court decisions where appropriate.

● A 24/7 police strike team involving youth justice workers for high-risk offenders.

● Culture-based rehabilitation for indigenous offenders in Townsville, Cairns and Mount Isa.

● $2 million to be spent on community-based organisations for “local community-based solutions”.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington. Picture: LNP

But LNP leader Deb Frecklington said it was not enough

“If Labor was serious, they would change their own laws next week, introduce breach of bail and scrap ‘catch and release’,” she said.

“The LNP will shut the revolving door of justice by giving our police tough new laws and resources they need to protect Queenslanders and their property.

“As a priority, the LNP will bring back breach of bail for juveniles as an offence and scrap Labor’s ‘catch and release’ laws.”