‘Rampant’: Dutton slams Labor’s record on crime, vows to get tough

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says crime has “run rampant” in Queensland, and he’s backed efforts by the new LNP government to take control.

A day after a 63-year-old Coles worker was stabbed in Ipswich, and with a federal election due within months, Dutton on Tuesday held a press conference in that city, where he spoke about law and order.

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder, while the female worker remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Peter Dutton says one of the core strengths of a Coalition government would be law and order.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Asked about the incident, Dutton said he would not discuss the specific case as it was before the courts, but he took the opportunity to highlight one of his key campaign messages – law and order.

Dutton said crime had “run rampant over recent years”, blaming Queensland’s former Labor government and arguing that was one of the reasons the LNP won October’s state election.

He said the Coalition had a policy to introduce uniform knife laws across the country.

After a spate of stabbings, Queensland police were last year given authority to expand the use of knife-wanding powers from nightlife precincts and transport hubs to shopping centres. NSW then introduced similar laws.

Dutton – who was in Melbourne on Monday, where he criticised Labor’s record on crime – said one of the core strengths of a Coalition government was law and order.

But he said too many people were being traumatised by crime.

“People should be safe in their homes, in their workplaces,” he said.

“I spoke to a lady yesterday, who would have been in her 60s, at an IGA and had a machete pulled on her.

“Psychologically, for that woman, her life has been changed forever, and her patterns of movement, of the way she goes to work, the way she feels when she’s at work, has changed forever.

“And I think sometimes the media cycle moves so quickly, we forget about the lasting impact on those victims.

“I hope the courts are able to deal very harshly upon those perpetrators of very serious crime.”

Asked if he supported Queensland’s “adult crime, adult time laws”, Dutton said: “Yes, I do.”

Tackling youth crime was among Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s key campaign pledges during last year’s state election. He has promised to resign if victim numbers are not reduced during the LNP’s first term.

After almost a decade in opposition, the LNP returned to power on the back of a statewide swing of 7 per cent.

The new LNP government quickly passed controversial changes to the youth justice system, which will see children sentenced as adults.

Monday’s incident in Ipswich came almost a year after the death of Vyleen White, 70, in a stabbing at an Ipswich shopping centre.

Crisafulli on Tuesday extended his thoughts to the wounded Coles worker and her family, along with those who witnessed the incident.

“It is just so traumatic – what has unfolded is something that no Queenslander wants to see,” he said, suggesting it would take time for his government to improve law and order.

“And I reflect that this incident has occurred so close and within a year of what we saw happen to Vyleen White. There’s a sense of deja vu for the state, and it’s exactly the kind of incident that Queenslanders have had enough of.

“My resolve to dealing with it is as strong as ever.”

Crisafulli defended the fact his new adult crime adult time laws did not include attempted murder.

“There will be more changes to the Youth Justice Act, many more,” he said.

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