Labor MPs avoid questions about support of youth crime measures after Caucus meeting

Labor will support parts of the governments new tough youth crime laws and not others, Opposition Leader Steven Miles has confirmed.

Steven Miles, Shannon Fentiman, Grace Grace and Cameron Dick head into a Caucus meeting on Monday. Picture, John Gass

Labor will support parts of the governments new tough youth crime laws and not others, Opposition Leader Steven Miles has confirmed.

It comes after MPs made a backdoor exit to avoid speaking to the media on their position.

Mr Miles, in a statement, said the Opposition will support the “Adult Crime, Adult Time” portion of the laws.

“Queenslanders did not vote for laws that would put victims on trial. Queenslanders did not vote to end restorative justice, a process that is supported by victims groups,” he said.

“The Opposition will move amendments to ensure those clauses are appropriately scrutinised and are not rammed through after just two days consultation.

“The LNP must support our amendments, which would put new laws in place by Christmas while ensuring process can be followed for other matters proposed by the LNP – matters that experts fear will be bad for victims.”

Prior to the Labor’s Caucus meeting earlier on Monday, Mr Miles signalled the party was concerned about “elements” of the government’s Making Queensland Safer Laws.

“They do a lot of things that weren’t taken into the election, and stakeholders particularly victims groups, have raised those concerns in the committee process,” Mr Miles said.

He said Labor would propose changes to the laws.

The government’s laws include changes to ensure children committing the most serious crimes, including murder, manslaughter, burglary and robbery, face adult-level maximum sentences.

Labor’s support for the laws are inconsequential to its passage, but the ideological split among MPs was expected to be the first major challenge for the Miles Opposition.

Mr Miles, prior to the meeting, asked if a position could be expected after the meeting said “maybe we can talk more than”.

But after nearly three hours, a majority of Labor MPs, including all of the Opposition’s senior leadership, opted to make a hasty backdoor exit after spotting waiting media.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

The laws will make reality a number of the LNP’s election commitments, including imposing adult punishments on children who commit 13 categories of crime.

Under the changes a child’s criminal history will also be carried into adulthood when they are sentenced for a crime.

It will also become easier for children on the cusp of turning 18 or reach adulthood in a youth prison or watch-house to be quickly transferred to an adult facility.

The tough new laws mean children face life imprisonment for murder, manslaughter, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful striking causing death.

Magistrates will also lose the ability to lock the media out of juvenile proceedings.

The final sitting week of parliament for the year is expected to be dominated by debate on the government’s Making Queensland Safer Laws.

New laws will also be introduced to cement the government’s election promise of ensuring general practitioners aren’t subject to payroll tax, and for first homeowners to rent out a room if they wish without penalty.

Emergency expenditure bills, to cover unforeseen spending under the previous Labor government will also be put forward.

Two new parliamentary inquiries — into elder abuse and volunteering — will be established.

Originally published as Labor MPs avoid questions about support of youth crime measures after Caucus meeting