Youth crime victims to rally outside Premier’s community cabinet meeting in Townsville

Victims of crime will be on a mission to ensure their voices are heard by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as they prepare to rally outside her upcoming community cabinet meeting in Townsville.

Victims of crime will be on a mission to ensure their voices are heard by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as they prepare to rally outside her upcoming community cabinet meeting in Townsville.

It comes after hundreds of fed-up residents protested against the city’s chronic crime problem at the first Townsville Rally Against Crime in June.

Organiser Clynton Hawks said he was putting the call out again for residents to rally and ensure their crime concerns were heard when Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk comes to Townsville on Sunday, October 29.

Locals will have the opportunity to speak with the Premier, Ministers and Assistant Ministers directly at a community cabinet event being held at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

A rally against crime will be held during the Premier's community cabinet in Townsville on October 29.

“If you have an issue you’d like to raise or a matter you’d like to discuss on behalf of a family member, please register for a meeting,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Mr Hawks, a former candidate for Katter’s Australian Party, said he had requested a meeting with the Premier to talk about youth crime, and he was hoping she would also come out to speak to those rallying outside the stadium on Sunday.

“If the Premier of Queensland had any gumption, she would come outside the stadium and listen to the real victims and fed-up citizens of Townsville,” he said.

The Townsville Bulletin contacted the Premier’s office to ask if she would attend the rally and a spokeswoman responded saying: “More than 100 requests for meetings have been received and all those requests will be given proper consideration.”

“The Palaszczuk Government is always looking for new ways to tackle crime and has recently established a bipartisan committee to examine responses to youth crime.

“Initiatives are already rolling out, including the engine immobiliser trial, which has seen more than 6,420 people in Townsville approved for vouchers to help with the installation of engine immobilisers and more than 1,000 units actually installed.”

The rally will be held from 3-6pm outside gate G at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Originally published as Youth crime victims to rally outside Premier’s community cabinet meeting in Townsville