Qld youth crime crisis: ‘Soft, woke, out of touch’: Miles government slammed over measures
Queenslanders are blaming ‘soft, woke and out of touch’ authorities for the state’s crime crisis. HAVE YOUR SAY.
Opinion
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The Courier-Mail readers have slammed Steven Miles after the Premier controversially claimed there were “more police in the field than ever” amid the youth crime crisis.
It comes after UComms polling of 1500 Queenslanders, commissioned by The Courier-Mail, revealed 56 per cent of people living in regional Queensland felt somewhat or very unsafe in their home and community due to youth crime.
In response to questions about whether police morale was a concern, Mr Miles on Monday said “I talk to our police a lot and that’s not what they tell me”.
“They are well-resourced – we have more police in the field than ever,” Mr Miles said.
His comments drew the ire of Courier-Mail readers, who expressed outrage and called for change.
Some called for a change in government, others for the likes of mace or pepper spray to be legalised in Queensland while some instead, blamed parents.
Read some of the more than 750 reader comments below..
TOUGHER LAWS ARE A MUST
“Miles says that we have some of the toughest youth crimes laws in the country. Maybe. But they are obviously not tough enough,” Greg said.
“The problem with youth crime is there is no deterrent. They know they can get away with it so they just keep doing it. What astounds me is these gangs are known to police so why not go in and wipe them out and put them in prison farms loaded with hard work with no tech and no privileges,” Wayne said.
“Wake up please. It’s not more police it’s stupid weak-kneed wimpy laws and sentencing… look beyond the trees and see the wood for a change,” Perry commented.
”How about legalising mace or pepper spray so people can defend themselves in their own homes. It is legal in WA but not Queensland. This do nothing government does nothing to protect its citizens so why not give us the right to self-defence,” Warren suggested.
“We need tough commanders prepared to back their front line police to the hilt and tough government prepared to back the commanders. Courts need to reflect community expectations, not their own ideology. Soft and woke individuals need not apply,” Comeonnow wrote.
“Is the issue really the government being soft on crime, or rather that society as a whole has gone soft on honesty, and bring up their kids to respect the law and their fellow citizens..?” Pete B questioned.
“People in the cities like Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and other do not feel safe in their own homes at night as well either. All since Anna Palaszczuk became Queensland Premier. Now with new Premier Miles. How much longer do we have to put up with this?” Fedup wrote.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM NEED TO CHANGE
“Part of the issue is that magistrates show too much leniency to recidivist offenders. I get that everyone makes mistakes and you deserve a second chance. But how many chances should you get? Everyone has hard times they need to deal with in life but dealing with them shouldn’t include a free pass for repeatedly committing serious crimes. There comes a point where the long-suffering public needs to be protected from any more of your “mistakes”,” Zimlurog said.
“No point in having lots of police if they and the judicial system have no powers to punish,” David said.
“The justice system needs a complete overhaul. Mandatory sentences, no bail, no early parole and serious offences being trialled as an adult are all required. We can build super prisons 200km from any country town in the middle of a completely arid ecosystem to discourage escapes. It’s not hard,” John said.
“The police would not be so busy if the magistrates put the offenders in jail. The police are spending their resources catching the same problem kids over and over. The laws need to change to keep them off the streets reoffending. The police have their hands tied, don’t blame and focus on them. The focus needs to be on changing the laws,” Mark said.
“There is shortage in many areas of the labour force, police and ambulance too. Doesn’t matter who is government this won’t change overnight. Mandatory sentencing for repeat offenders needs to be enshrined in our legal system. If the police want to stop them getting bail, judges must listen to them,” Geoffrey wrote.
“Unless the government is going to undertake a Campbell Newman style reform of the judiciary, then nothing is going to work. That is where young criminals learn their boundaries and find out very quickly they can do whatever they want without consequence. Labor, with it’s history of civil libertarian lawyers is too entrenched in the current system and will never be able to take on this challenge,” Pieeater wrote
“Talk is cheap Premier Miles, we want action. The magistrates and judges need to get serious about penalties and if they don’t we need to have legislated minimum jail sentences for serious offences or recidivists. Not ridiculous penalties that no judge or magistrate will ever impose. Looks good but is useless. Yes early intervention is critical, however, those that don’t respond need to be shown that the government and justice system are serious about addressing criminal behaviour. The ‘poor bugger me’ whinging to judges and magistrates need to be ignored. The victims are the ones that are really suffering the rest are criminals, assailants, burglars, thieves etc,” Paul said.
“It has nothing to do with poor police work. The police are doing their best. The issue is that the judicial system aren’t doing their job by keeping the criminals in prison. They are sent out on bail to rob, steal, whatever you want to call it. It is a giant merry-go-round. The judicial system needs reviewing. But this government has to go, no, maybe it has to go,” Dennis wrote.
GOVERNMENT OVERHAUL IS NECESSARY
“After years of inaction by the current Labor Government, the only light at the end is a change of government at the next state election. If the LNP is successful they will have a mammoth task ahead of them. At least they should be aware of what the people of Queensland demand after years of neglect and work towards solutions to the multiple Labor failures and mismanagement,” Corrie wrote.
“Bring back Campbell Newman and he will sort this out,” Shirley wrote.
“Unfortunately the Labor Parties patronising mind set of believing they have to look after everyone as opposed to empowering them has in the last six years transitioned to an arrogance that they know it all is finding them out. The bureaucratic incompetence and mismanagement mess we now have has spiralled out of there control,” Pat commented.
“Labor really doesn’t want to address lawlessness - they will throw dollars at it but that won’t help. Mandatory sentencing, tougher judicial system and boot camps - but Labor won’t go there,” Ted wrote.
“It’s like the judiciary. Labor has for years appointed fawns, both in the judiciary and in senior police appointments and then they wonder why everything goes belly up. Palaszczuk was a control freak and a stifler of independent thought and operation. Now we are experiencing the results of her management or should I say mismanagement,” BEM commented.
PREMIER NOT DOING ENOUGH
“I doubt very much the Premier talks to the overstretched frontline. He will have spoken with senior commissioned officers who will have told him what he wants to hear, in fear of them upsetting the big boss. If he spoke with the frontline, he would be told how dire it is, how the QPS has nearly 200 fewer officers than at the same time a year ago, and how disillusioned the majority of officers are. The public deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities, and the policies of this government, and ineffective sentencing by the judiciary, are not providing that benefit,” Isaac Van Amburgh wrote.
“How is a poll showing people think Labor is soft on crime a shock? Then again Giggles is claiming the police are well resourced but at the same time police say they’re drowning from understaffing and his government has undertaken a massive recruitment drive. Reality has gone out of fashion – apparently,” Garry said.
“Miles is outright not telling the truth with regard to police numbers in Ipswich. How do they get away with it,” Don claimed.
IT STARTS AT HOME
“A change of government will not solve the problem. There has always been issues with youths and gangs throughout society in every country. The problem starts at home. Parents who don’t care, youths who have no understanding of consequences and do whatever they want. Youth detention centres won’t solve the issues unless these youths understand how to live in society,” Tea for Two wrote.
“You blame the government, the schools, the police but why aren’t the parents of these young people called to account for the action of their children. Seems to me that the parents of this generation have failed, if a child is caught driving a stolen car at 2am in the morning the parents should have to appear with the child or young adult and explain their lack of control of their children to the courts, then we might see some improvement with this problem,” John C said.
Originally published as Qld youth crime crisis: ‘Soft, woke, out of touch’: Miles government slammed over measures
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