The strategy will only serve to increase the number of vulnerable juveniles left in the prison system and do little to decrease the rate of crime, according to Sophie Levitt, a lawyer from Indigenous incarceration advocacy group Change the Record.
"Breach of bail offences just drives kids into the criminal justice system," she tweeted. "We know that the more you lock kids up, the more likely they are to reoffend. It doesn't work. It hurts kids and it makes our communities less safe."
Queensland Greens minister Michael Berkman was more direct, accusing the LNP for "blowing its racist dog whistle and perpetuating the blatant lie" that youth crime is rising.
"Cops do not fix crime," the Greens MP tweeted. "Prisons do not help kids. We need to raise the age of criminal responsibility and keep kids in community with properly funded social support services."
The three seats in Townsville are widely considered to be vital electorates to deciding which party will form government following the October 31 state election, with the Liberal-National Party previously signalling its intentions to capitalise on the topical issue of crime.
It has a former police inspector, Glenn Doyle, contesting the seat of Mundingburra and has previously committed to automatically locking up juveniles after a third conviction.
But the curfew is the most extraordinary pitch to prise the three marginal seats away from the incumbent Labor government.
RELATED: Latest news from the state election
Under the plan, children aged 14 and under will be picked up by police if they are out past 8pm and those between the ages of 15 and 17 aren’t off the streets by 10pm.
They will be taken to local community refuges where they will be supervised and provided with support by youth and health workers, the party said.
Parents will be fined $250 if their children are unable to provide a reasonable excuse to why they're out past these times.
"We need to make sure this community is kept safe," Ms Frecklington told reporters from Townsville on Wednesday morning. "If you are on the streets doing the wrong thing, you'll be taken off the streets."
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the plan "doesn't cut the mustard", though this criticism was mainly directed at how the curfew would be implemented into practice rather than a belief it is a humane approach to fighting crime.
Ms Palaszczuk refused to reveal her thoughts on the curfew despite being asked repeatedly by reporters, insisting the main problem in the region is unemployment.
The blog is now done for today but have a read below for reactions on the LNP's curfew plan.
Updates
A police officer has blasted the LNP's plan to introduce a curfew to control youth crime, according to a report from the Townsville Bulletin.
The source told the local paper the idea of taking wandering children to a refuge is "fraught with danger", saying law enforcers would be "driving in circles" picking up the same kids.
“What power do they have to put them in a refuge … they have no power to keep them in care houses as it is,” they said.
“The kids will leave and we will have to pick them up and take them back.
“You cannot enforce curfews … it’s stupid.”
Keep reading the article here
Queensland Greens minister Michael Berkman has lashed out at both the LNP and Labor over their election pledges to control youth crime in Townsville.
On Wednesday morning, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said her party will trial a curfew in Cairns and Townsville to get youths off the streets while Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her plan was to boost the number of police.
Mr Berkman accused the LNP of "blowing its racist dog whistle and perpetuating the blatant lie" and Labor was simply "criticising them for not doing it hard enough".
"Cops do not fix crime," the Greens MP tweeted. "Prisons do not help kids. We need to raise the age of criminal responsibility and keep kids in community with properly funded social support services."
ABC's respected election analyst Antony Green said the LNP preferencing One Nation ahead of Katter's Australia Party could come back to bite Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington.
KAP looms as a potential queenmaker after the October 31 election if neither major party claims a majority.
Mr Green said it is an "interesting decision given Katter's party could end up with the balance of power".
Former deputy premier Jackie Trad brushed off the corruption scandal she was embroiled in, insisting she was cleared of any wrongdoing.
When asked why her constituents should vote her in again she cited her support for the arts sector and voluntary assisted dying as key issues she's consistently stood by.
"They know me, and they know my record," Ms Trad said.
Greens candidate for South Brisbane Amy MacMahon has refused to apologise for a tweet from a party staffer directed at Jackie Trad that was viewed as sexist.
The two are currently facing off in a debate on Sky and Courier Mail.
Ms MacMahon said the staffer responsible for the tweet was unfairly vilified by Labor Party members and nearly bullied out of politics.
In response, Ms Trad said the tweet was "offensive" and "sexist" and led to a number of her campaign posters being vandalised.
"This was a tweet that included incredibly sexist comments that were directed at me," the former deputy premier said during the electorate debate.
Labor has just announced Police Minister Mark Ryan will speak to media in 10 minutes outside the Townsville Police Academy.
No prizes for guessing what this will be about as the backlash to LNP's curfew heats up online.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the LNP's controversial plan to introduce a curfew to fight youth crime in Cairns and Townsville "doesn't cut the mustard".
But this critique was aimed at Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington's explanation of how the curfew would be implemented into practice, not whether or not she believes it is a humane approach to fighting crime.
Ms Palaszczuk refused to reveal her thoughts on the curfew despite being asked repeatedly by reporters, insisting the main problem in the region is unemployment.
"The number one issue here is jobs," she said, also leaning on Labor's plan to boost the number of law enforcement officers to combat crime in North Queensland.
In no real surprise, the LNP's plan to trial a curfew on children in Cairns and Townsville has been heavily criticised online.
The highway linking Brisbane and Cairns has been a hot topic in the state election.
The LNP pledged at the start of the campaign that it would double its width to four lanes all the way through to the north.
And today Labor revealed its plan, saying it will build a second Bruce Highway to run parallel to the existing road to reduce the number of trucks and ease congestion.
"If re-elected, we have a vision to build an inland highway from Charters Towers to Mungindi," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
Under the plan, children aged 14 and under will be picked up by police if they are out past 8pm and those between the ages of 15 and 17 aren’t off the streets by 10pm.
Parents will be fined $250 if their children are unable to provide a reasonable excuse to why they're out past these times.
