State government accused of skipping consultation for youth crime reform

Experts have lashed the Palaszczuk government for failing to consult stakeholder groups during the drafting of Queensland’s sensitive new youth crime reforms.

The Palaszczuk government has been accused of failing to consult expert groups during the creation of sensitive legislation to target youth crime.

New laws are expected to be introduced later this month when parliament returns following a wave of disturbing offences involving teens in the summer break.

But experts are puzzled by the lack of stakeholder engagement and are baffled by the unusual platform to invite feedback — an online form consisting of five questions tucked away on the government’s website.

The outcry comes after a schism emerged between the Palaszczuk government and the courts after Deputy Premier Steven Miles accused a Townsville magistrate for going rogue and releasing 13 children on bail in what he described as a “media stunt”.

On Saturday, the state government stood by the explosive remarks with cabinet minister Sterling Hinchliffe defending the comments following heated complaints from judiciary figures regarding an erosion of the separation of powers.

Queensland Law Society member and legal director at Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors Dan Rogers. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Queensland Law Society member and legal director at Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors Dan Rogers said the stakeholder group had “received no consultation materials or a confidential consultation draft of any proposed bill”.

“Which is really unusual as we’ve in the past always had a voice on youth justice issues,” he told The Sunday Mail.

“If it (the website) is intended to be some substitute for proper consultation, both with the community but also legal experts like the Law Society, it’s just totally deficient.

“The concern, given the lack of consultation so far, is the government might not refer it to a parliamentary committee with an appropriate reporting period. If that doesn’t occur, it would be a double failure.”

PeakCare Queensland executive director Lindsay Wegener said the government had not made contact since the group pleaded with the government through a widely shared open letter to consider evidence-based solutions when drafting changes to the Youth Justice Act.

“What we did was to address it to the Queensland parliament – not just the government,” he said.

“We wrote it as a very courteous offer to the government, and others, to express our willingness to contribute.”

PeakCare Queensland executive director Lindsay Wegener. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The government paraded a 10-point plan to curb the youth crime crisis in late December — days after mum-of-two Emma Lovell was fatally stabbed after two youths allegedly broke into her home on Boxing Day.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has pledged to legislate the changes when parliament returns, and insisted during the week stakeholders would “have their say”.

But Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the lack of an orthodox consultation process was evidence the Premier was attempting to ride “out a media cycle”.

“Clearly the Premier and her government never had any intention of listening to Queenslanders about this legislation,” he told The Sunday Mail.

“If the Premier genuinely valued transparency, the consultation would be made public and if she backed these changes the legislation would be released to be scrutinised and improved.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A spokeswoman for Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard said submissions were welcome through the website, but would not say how many had been received.

“The government is considering these submissions, and past and present feedback from a range of stakeholders,” she said.

“Feedback will be considered before the legislation is introduced into parliament.”

Mr Wegener said it was crucial consultation be undertaken during the drafting of the legislation to ensure any specifics enshrined into law were cohesive with an overarching social strategy on youth crime.

He said without that, there was “real risk of ending up with a fractured social policy”, which would compound existing issues.

“Any kind of kneejerk policy which is done in response to a crisis rarely makes for good social policy,” he said.

“We think there does need to be extensive, and detailed, consultation.”

Originally published as State government accused of skipping consultation for youth crime reform