Crisafulli says critics of youth justice bill are part of the problem

The news

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has been forced to defend his government’s proposed youth crime laws, which have faced significant criticism since their introduction last week.

Asked on Tuesday to name an expert supportive of his government’s approach to youth crime, Crisafulli did not, instead pointing to support from “a lot of Queenslanders”, including frontline workers.

“And I come back to the importance of not just stronger laws, but also gold-standard early intervention and rehabilitation with purpose,” Crisafulli said of other promised action.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli arrives to speak to media at the Women’s Legal Service in Annerley on Tuesday.Credit: Matt Dennien

“Just on some of those [making] commentary, in many cases, it’s the same people who led to the same situation for the last decade.”

Why it matters

Crisafulli introduced long-promised youth justice changes on Thursday to “strike back” at youth crime rates that have risen recently, as some high-profile cases drew media attention, but remain at historical lows.

The bill will boost maximum sentences for kids who commit a range of crimes, no longer make detention a last resort in sentencing those aged under 17, open the Children’s Court further, and expand what can be included in a child’s criminal record, allowing it to carry into adulthood.

But a raft of legal experts and social service groups – and even the United Nations child rights arm – have criticised the proposed laws, which the government acknowledges violate international law and disproportionately affect First Nations kids.

While the LNP took some detail of the laws to the October election seeking a mandate to pass them by Christmas, Crisafulli also promised to lead a stable government that listened to experts.

What they said

Fronting a media conference in Brisbane to spruik a federal funding arrangement for community legal services, Crisafulli was asked whether he was suggesting groups including statutory bodies, such as Queensland’s human rights and family commissioners, were wrong.

“They have a different view, and they should be able to express that view,” he said, also declining to detail modelling around occupancy rates at youth detention centres and police watchhouses.

Another perspective

Speaking alongside other legal and social service groups on Thursday, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Child Protection Peak chief executive Garth Morgan reiterated a message many have repeated for years as they criticised both major parties’ “race to the bottom” on crime.

“The reason why we’re talking about tough on crime now isn’t because we haven’t been tough enough on crime in the past, it’s because we haven’t been tough enough on poverty,” he said.

Others have repeated evidence-based warnings that such a hardline approach does not deter offending or increase community safety long-term, with more kids likely to be dragged deeper into the criminal justice system as a result.

What’s next

A government-led parliamentary committee held public hearings in Brisbane and Townsville this week, ahead of a report being tabled on Friday and making recommendations to MPs ahead of their vote on the bill.

Public submissions closed at midday on Tuesday.