Qld LNP MPs in Toowoomba Townsville silence on rape ‘adult crime’ laws for teen offenders

Queensland MPs say serious offences will be considered for ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ but stop short of promising to include rape.

Queensland LNP MPs avoid promise to include rape under ‘Adult Time, Adult Crime,’ laws reforms.

The newly-elected Queensland government and Premier David Crisafulli are refusing to respond to calls for the party to include the crime of rape in the youth justice law reforms it campaigned on to “put victims first”.
Rape was one of several serious crimes left out of the Crisafulli’s law reforms that he campaigned on to hold teenagers accountable for adult crimes by imposing harsher sentencing penalties in line with community expectations.
Statistic show reports of sexual violence and rape are at an all-time high in Australia with Queensland’s adults and teenagers committing higher rates of the crime when compared to other states, expect for New South Wales.

In December when the laws were passed, a regional Queensland teenager was sentenced to 18 months in jail for the violent rape of a Darling Downs woman in the middle of the Toowoomba CBD.
Months prior, another Toowoomba Region teenager was found guilty of raping girls and was sentenced to serve one year, six months, and two days before being released back into the community.
State members for the Toowoomba region, Treasurer David Janetzki and Trevor Watts, refused to respond about whether or not they would support the inclusion of rape in the second tranche of laws.

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki would not respond to questions as to whether of not he believed rape should be considered as part of the youth justice reforms his government imposed for stronger sentences for juveniles guilty of ‘adult crimes’. Picture: Supplied

Treasurer and member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki said he was deeply concerned about the recent sentence before the courts where a woman was randomly attacked while walking home on the streets of Toowoomba.
He said he wrote to the “Attorney-General, to share my deep concern over the imminent release of this offender, and I appreciate she is seeking a full briefing on this matter”.

“My heart goes out to the victim after this horrendous act of violence,” he said.

“No woman should ever fear for her life and safety while simply trying to make it home.”

Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts said he was “appalled and sickened by this case, and I share the community’s outrage,”.

Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts would not respond to questions as to whether of not he believed rape should be considered as part of the youth justice reforms his government imposed for stronger sentences for juveniles guilty of ‘adult crimes’.

“I can only imagine the trauma the victim has faced and my thoughts are with her.

“Every woman and every Queenslander deserves to feel safe in their community.”

He said with the legislative changes “made since the Crisafulli Government formed, community safety and justice for victims has been at the forefront”.

“At the election, the community made it clear they expect tougher measures for juveniles who commit crimes, and we listened with the Making Queensland Safer Laws.

“It’s critical the justice system reflects those expectations and provides appropriate safeguards for victims.

“We promised after we delivered the first component of the Making Queensland Safer Laws we would then begin considering the inclusion of further offences.”

Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington says the crime of rape is ‘horrific’, however refuses to make a promise to include the crime under the next ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ laws reforms. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she was appalled and sickened by the case in December and shared the community’s outrage, however she would not say the offence of rape would be considered in the next round of law reforms.

“I can only imagine the trauma the victim has faced, and my thoughts are with her,” she said.

“Every woman has a right to feel safe on our streets, and I have requested a full brief on the matter.”

A spokeswoman for her office said under the first tranche of Making Queensland Safer Laws, courts would be “empowered to consider an offender’s full criminal history when sentencing”.

“This includes where a conviction has not been recorded,” she said

“We have previously been asked by media outlets whether rape will be included in the Making Queensland Safer Laws and have advised that all other offences will be considered by an expert panel, as part of a second tranche of the laws.”

Townsville MPs Janelle Poole, Natalie Marr, Adam Bailie and the Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber speak to the media in Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Townsville LNP MPs said the youth crime reform was “just the start”, and reiterated the party’s stance that ‘other crimes’ left out needed to be considered by an expert legal panel.
MP Natalie Marr said following the election win, the LNP delivered on its promises.

“We promised the Making Queensland Safer Laws would be delivered over multiple stages, with an expert legal panel to assess the next offences… particularly more complex charges,” Ms Marr said.

MP Adam Baillie said, “unlike the previous government that turned its back on our city, we are committed to delivering the fresh start Townsville voted for, with the strong laws needed to arrest Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis,”.
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said unravelling a decade of “weak youth crime laws” would take time.

“When we announced Adult Crime, Adult Time we were clear further reform and further offences would be added in the second tranche of the Making Queensland Safer Laws, after a detailed legal assessment by the panel,” she said.
The party-wide strong stance on the inclusion of rape being up to an independent panel is at odds with the premier promising the inclusion of attempted murder earlier this month following a stabbing in Ipswich.

On January 20 the government opened expressions of interests for the panel which will close on January 30.