‘Balance needs to be restored’: Qld government flags tough youth crime laws

Families of victims of youth crime have called for change as tough new laws targeting young offenders are introduced in one state.

The parents of a teenager murdered by two teen thugs have called for “balance to be restored” as the Queensland government announced tough new laws to combat contentious youth crime across the state.

The measures were previously ridiculed by the Labor state government as “unworkable” when introduced by the previous LNP government.

But a spate of recent high-profile deaths involving alleged youth offenders – including the alleged stabbing of Emma Lovell in North Lakes last year and the death of Toowoomba photographer Robert Brown – have prompted the policy backflip by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government.

Ben Beaumont and Michelle Liddle – the parents of murdered teenager Angus Beaumont – were part of a small group of people who attended parliament to lobby for tougher laws to deal with young offenders.

Michelle Liddle and Ben Beaumont, parents of 15 year-old Angus Beaumont, who was stabbed to death in 2020. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“It’s not acceptable,” Ms Liddle said outside parliament on Tuesday.

“We think the balance needs to be restored and they need to take into account they are human lives, not statistics.”

Angus, 15, died after being stabbed by two teenagers in March 2020.

Angus Beaumont, 15, was fatally stabbed by two teenagers while defending his mate in Redcliffe.

They were joined by Brisbane woman Julie West, who started a petition after Ms Lovell died in an alleged home invasion on Boxing Day last year.

“We are taking new, tougher action to further protect the community and tackle the complex causes of youth crime,” Police Minister Mark Ryan told the chamber on Tuesday.

Under the legislative changes, which include some $332m of investments, a young offender who breaches bail conditions will be charged with an offence in Queensland.

Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said a small cohort of young offenders were responsible for most youth crime across the state. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The Youth Justice Act will also be amended to allow a declaration for “serious repeat offenders” to be made.

This means tougher sentencing principles will be applied against those particular youth offenders.

People who are passengers in stolen vehicles, commit burglary or enter a premise to commit an indictable offence will also have a presumption against bail.

“We have listened to the community. This action is all about putting community safety first,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the full force of the law would target youth offenders under the new reforms. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“We will use the full force of the law to target the small cohort of serious repeat offenders that currently pose a threat to community safety.”

Mr Ryan reiterated that a small cohort of “serious, repeat” young offenders were responsible for most of the youth crime in the state.

The previous LNP government, led by Campbell Newman, had previously amended legislation in 2014 to include breach of bail as a criminal offence for children.

This was attacked by Mr Ryan, who told parliament the changes did not result in any youth offender spending any additional time in detention.

“It was inefficient and poorly drafted,” he said.

Emma Lovell, who died during an alleged home invasion police allege was committed by two boys on Boxing Day last year. Picture: Facebook

Labor has clarified the changes it proposes to introduce will simply take existing breach of bail laws that currently apply to adults and extend it to young offenders.

As part of the reforms, $100m will go towards intensive case management programs across the Brisbane, Logan, Toowoomba, Moreton, Gold Coast, Rockhampton and Ipswich areas to target “chronic” offenders aged 13-17.

Another $17m will be allocated for youth justice workers to partner with police and $9m will be invested for assistance for victims of crime.

Just a few months ago Ms Palaszczuk announced major reforms to Queensland’s youth justice response in the wake of Ms Lovell’s murder.

Those changes proposed sentences of up to 14 years for juveniles – with harsher penalties if they boast of their crimes on social media.

That sentence would increase to a more severe penalty of 14 years’ jail if the offence is committed at night and the offender is using or threatening violence; armed, or pretending to be armed; in company with others or threatens to damage property.