Noel Pearson blasts ‘wasted lives’ in Queensland’s child protection system

Indigenous activist Noel Pearson says the near decade of Queensland Labor’s inaction to tackle the state’s ailing child protection system has proven a ‘disaster’ for children in state care.

Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

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Indigenous activist Noel Pearson says the near decade of Queensland Labor’s inaction to tackle the state’s ailing child protection system has proven a “disaster” for children in state care.

Mr Pearson criticised former Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for failing to implement the bulk of the more than 100 recommendations of the 2013 Carmody review, which warned the cost of government-funded, privately provided out-of-home care was growing rapidly.

He welcomed the Crisafulli Liberal National government’s review of the “outsourced child protection system”, which had been growing for decades at the expense of the children.

“This 10 years of the Palaszczuk government has been an absolute disaster for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, absolute disaster,” Mr Pearson said.

“Ten years of wasted lives, children in droves in the child protection system who then go on to be in their droves in the youth justice system, who then go on to be in their droves in the adult incarceration system. All we’ve seen is a rise in those numbers, no turnaround, no slowing down of the numbers. Now we’re reaping the bitter reward, the bitter legacy of this long resistance to reform agenda.”

Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled

The Crisafulli government has revealed more than 100 of the state’s most serious young offenders are living in out-of-home care as the state embarks on its second review of the system.

Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber said almost a third of Queensland’s serious youth offenders were in state care.

“It demonstrates exactly why this commission of inquiry is needed,” Ms Gerber said. “Not just to examine the out-of-home care system and child safety but to examine the way that connects with youth justice.”

The inquiry, led by retired Federal Court judge Paul Anastassiou, will assess the adequacy of the state’s billion-dollar children-in-care sector and the role it may have played in the criminality of high-risk children. The spotlight will be placed on the operators of out-of-home care.

Mr Pearson said the children caught in the justice system were a product of their upbringing and a greater focus needed to be put on parental responsibility and the importance of the family unit. “How can you blame (these kids)?” he said.

“They’re the victims of bad policy and bad government performance. George Street is responsible for the creation of those kids and the miserable lives that they now lead.

“But at the same time, the crucial thing is, we don’t want another 100 joining them.”

Queensland Youth Justice and Victim Support Minister, left, Laura Gerber and Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Amanda Camm.

There were almost 12,500 children in government-funded care in Queensland as of December 2024, a significant increase from 8415 children under state care in June 2015. As a result, the budget cost has risen from $200m a decade ago to a predicted $1.12bn this financial year.

The announcement of the inquiry last weekend coincides with a vote on the second tranche of the Crisafulli government’s signature Making Queensland Safer laws this week, which will make youths charged with 20 more offences punishable with adult sentences.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Labor would support the bill but he questioned why the advice of the expert legal panel informing the cabinet had not been made public.