Editorial: Qld fully behind LNP govt crime fight

There is zero doubt Premier David Crisafulli has the public on his side on his determination to crack down on youth crime, writes the editor.

Premier David Crisafulli (centre) with Attorney-General Deb Frecklington and Police Minister Dan Purdie on Monday. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

There is not only zero doubt that Premier David Crisafulli has the public on his side on his determination to crack down on youth crime, but it appears he is actually making a dent in the scourge.

And he is right to point out that criminal kids taunting him by name in their boastful posts on social media (as revealed by The Courier-Mail over the weekend) is a good thing – as it shows they are aware of the “adult crime, adult time” crackdown.

This is important stuff. As a community we have been changed in recent years by this marked increase in youth crime. We have – in about a decade – gone from a community that felt rarely touched by crime to one that it is rare to not have been affected by it.

It is also critical politically for Mr Crisafulli personally, as he has staked his future as Premier on turning around per-capita crime statistics before the next election.

But it seems things are changing already, just a few months on from the new laws being enacted, with government figures we revealed on Monday showing a 32 per cent drop in cases against children charged with at least one of the initial 13 offences included in the new laws.

Mr Crisafulli was right yesterday to be honest in saying they are only “green shoots” of success so far, and that there is a long way to go.

But Queenslanders will welcome the turnaround. A poll on our website yesterday asked if readers supported the new laws. Of the more than 2000 votes, 96 per cent said they did “because juvenile offenders have become brazen and dangerous” – with just 3 per cent saying “no, adult punishment can have harsh impacts on youth”.

It is clear Queenslanders will be giving their full-throated support to the next tranche of the laws that are currently before state parliament to extend the tougher sentencing approach to 33 offences due to be debated next month.

Additional offences will include going armed to cause fear, threatening violence, assaulting a pregnant woman and killing or doing harm to an unborn child, ramming an emergency vehicle, endangering a police officer, several rape offences, stealing a vehicle or firearm and kidnapping.

The new laws will also ensure children sentenced to life in prison have to serve a minimum
non-parole period of 15 years.

What is encouraging too is to hear the magistracy wake up to both the will of the people, and the will of the parliament.

For years magistrates have been too willing to give the youths who appear before them the benefit of the doubt. This has led to a revolving door justice system, that the kids have then taken advantage of. That appears to have finally changed, at least when it comes to some magistrates, according to transcripts of sentencing remarks provided to The Courier-Mail.

Perhaps the best came from a magistrate in Wide Bay when they sentenced a youth to 18 months in detention after being convicted of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and entering a dwelling.

The magistrate said: “You have provided me opportunity to send a very clear message to those children who may think that the behaviour that they go through is exciting or happy, or good. I can send them a very clear message through you that you will have very poor consequences for people who choose to live that lifestyle.”

It has been a long time coming, but it is so pleasing to see this change has finally come.

Our message to the politicians, the police officers and to the judiciary is simple: Keep going because Queenslanders will back you in this fight; they have had enough.

MAGIC STARTS WITH ORIGIN

This weekend’s NRL Magic Round – where every game of the round is played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium – is not just about those eight games from Friday night to Sunday.

The year’s biggest football party actually begins on Thursday night, with the first of three women’s State of Origin games to be held this year, in front of what will likely be the biggest crowd ever for a women’s league match.

That record is held by Newcastle, where 25,792 fans last year watched Queensland win Game 2 by a single point ahead of its 22-6 series-winning victory in Townsville three weeks later.

The Women’s Origin concept has come a long way since its inception in 2018, with those crowds growing from 11,321 in the single 2022 game to an average of 15,623 in 2023, and 24,698 last year.

While there has been some controversy over the scheduling of the series, considering it is played six months after the end of the NRLW season and with no lead-in matches, we still guarantee you will love the football on show on Thursday night at Suncorp.

The Queenslanders – including the four debutants we feature on page 5 today – are looking to win three on the trot. Go the Maroons!

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: Qld fully behind LNP govt crime fight