Steven Miles rejects axing detention as ‘last resort’ for teenage criminals

Steven Miles has shot down opposition calls to reverse Labor’s youth justice laws that made detention a ‘last resort’ for juvenile offenders in his first question time as Premier.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles speaks in question time on Tuesday. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Queensland’s opposition has proposed laws to incarcerate more teenage criminals by removing detention as a “last resort”, setting up a parliamentary showdown with Labor over the state’s youth crime crisis ahead of this year’s election.

In his first day in parliament as Premier, Steven Miles faced escalating attacks from the opposition over Labor’s 2016 decision to introduce a legal a provision that children should be detained in custody “only as a last resort and for the least time … justified in the circumstances”.

Liberal National leader David Crisafulli said the legal principle had allowed youth crime to fester and led to an increase in violent attacks. Ramping up pressure on Labor, the LNP on Tuesday introduced amendments to axe detention as a last resort from the Youth Justice Act. “These are the laws Queenslanders want, the LNP have brought them, Labor must support them – there is no other ­option,” Mr Crisafulli said. “If the Labor government won’t act to fix the youth crime crisis, we will. And it starts with removing detention as a last resort to allow the judiciary to do their job.”

Queenslanders deserve to feel safe. We will do everything we can to ensure they are. pic.twitter.com/iVdh3iYvvW

— Steven Miles (@StevenJMiles) February 13, 2024

Labor has a clear majority in Queensland, meaning the LNP’s amendments will not pass without government support.

Mr Miles stared down calls to reverse Labor’s youth justice laws during question time, saying to do so would result in thousands of low-level offenders being exposed to hardened criminals and gangs.

“The experts tell us that the best thing for those first offenders is intervention programs,” he said.

“There is a record number of young offenders in detention right now, more than anywhere else in the country, precisely because our tough laws result in less bail and more custodial sentences.”

Criminal defence lawyer and Queensland Law Society president Rebecca Fogerty “strongly opposes” removing detention as a last resort for juvenile offenders, which she said would reduce ­judicial discretion. “One of the most important things in a criminal justice system is ensuring that judges retain discretion so they can craft a sentence that not just reflects community expectations but individual facts and circumstances,” she said.

Youth crime resurfaced as a major political problem following the murder of Ipswich grandmother Vyleen White, who was stabbed on a trip to the shops this month, allegedly by a 16-year-old on bail for armed ­robbery.

Acknowledging community outrage over juvenile crime, Mr Miles will this week fast-track laws that ban the sale of knives to children. Separate law changes are being drafted to hand police powers to stop and search children for knives at shopping centres and to allow journalists into court to report on cases involving youths.

“I know Queenslanders are angry,” Mr Miles told parliament.

“They want to feel safe to go about their business – to duck to the shops for some last-minute groceries – without fearing for their safety. I do too.

“Too many of these young ­people are involved in gangs, too many are stealing cars to commit crimes. We can always do more and do better though.”

Mr Miles also revealed the government was giving fresh consideration to a Katter’s Australian Party proposal to send repeat youth offenders out to the bush for long-term, intensive rehabilitation programs.

“While I am not yet in a position to make an announcement … I am hoping to be in Townsville next week and might have an opportunity to say more about the kinds of programs that we want to support,” he said.