Youth Crime special: Sky News and Courier-Mail team up in Toowoomba

Sky News and The Courier-Mail will collaborate on a Youth Crime Special live from Toowoomba on Tuesday night.

Sky News host Paul Murray will broadcast from Toowoomba on Tuesday with a special focus on youth crime in Queensland.

The Sky News and Courier-Mail Paul Murray Live Youth Crime Special will interview Queenslanders who have been heavily impacted by youth crime, including those who have been the victim of multiple home invasions and car thefts.

The Courier-Mail editor Chris Jones will also appear on the show in a special interview to highlight the continued advocacy of News Corp’s Queensland mastheads urging authorities to take action on the issue and highlighting the devastating impact on victims.

Toowoomba Chronicle editor Jordan Philp - who has spearheaded a local campaign on the issue - and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli will also be on the program.

Sky News reached out to the Queensland Government to see if a representative would appear on the show, and the government declined.

The show is being broadcast from Toowoomba just weeks after the death of Robert William Brown, 75, who was allegedly attacked by youths in a broad daylight robbery as he waited for a taxi outside Toowoomba’s Grand Central Shopping Centre.

Robert Brown. Picture: Nev Madsen.

His death sparked an explosive forum on youth crime in the city.

Mr Brown’s death was one of six across the state in just six months linked to alleged youth crime - including the killing of North Lakes mother Emma Lovell on Boxing Day, which sparked widespread community uproar.

Murray said the public forum in Toowoomba was the catalyst for the show to broadcast live from the Darling Downs.

“We decided to head to Toowoomba after seeing the public forum last week. People are furious and sending a minister to say sorry doesn’t cut it,” he said.

He said the Queensland Government’s response to youth crime was insufficient and he hoped to hear first-hand what Queenslanders were dealing with.

“The powerful desperately want to change the subject. But we can’t let their media spin win again. Normal people have had enough and they don’t have to live like this,” he said.

“I’m coming to town because I want to look people in the eye and hear the truth. Not just on the air but in the street and everywhere we go while we are in town.”

Tune into Sky News Australia at 8pm (QLD time) on Tuesday 21 February.

Stream on Flash or watch on Foxtel or Sky News Regional.

Sky News reached out to the Queensland Government to see if a representative would appear on the show, and the government declined.

Originally published as Youth Crime special: Sky News and Courier-Mail team up in Toowoomba