Yamanto stabbing: Attempted murder not included in ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws

Premier David Crisafulli has defended the absence of attempted murder as an offence under the state’s new ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws, rejecting claims Queenslanders are no safer than they were before.

A 13-year-old boy has been charged after a 63-year-old woman was stabbed at a Coles supermarket at Yamanto. Picture: 7NEWS

Premier David Crisafulli has rejected claims Queenslanders are no safer under his leadership amid revelations the government’s flagship ‘adult crime, adult time’ policy does not capture attempted murder.

Mr Crisafulli expressed his sympathy for the injured woman and shoppers who witnessed the “traumatic” incident at the Yamanto Central Shopping Centre.

“What has unfolded is something that no Queenslander wants to see,” he said.

“This incident has occurred so close, within a year of what we saw happen to Vyleen White and it’s a sense of deja vu for the state. It’s exactly the kinds of incident that Queenslanders have had enough of.

“My resolve to dealing with it is as strong as ever and I want Queenslanders to know how much we understand that incidents like this just rock the fabric of who we are.”

Premier David Crisafulli said he was dealing with youth justice issues in Queensland. File Picture: Lachie Millard

Mr Crisafulli, who put Labor’s “crime crisis” at the centre of his election campaign, defended excluding attempted murder from the first tranche of offences captured under the Making Queensland Safer Bill passed by parliament on December 12.

“Let’s see through the investigation … what happens with the charges in the days ahead,” he said of the Yamanto incident.

“We implemented the changes that we took to the election and I said that that will be the first step.

“There will be more changes to the Youth Justice Act, many more.”

Mr Crisafulli denied the incident proved Queenslanders were no safer under his leadership.

“I reject that,” he said.

“What you’ll never get from me is standing up and telling Queenslanders there’s not a problem – there is, which is why we’re dealing with it.

“One of the things we said when we came to office was we would be addressing youth crime laws, we’ve done the first stage of that and there will be more to come.

“This is not going to be set and forget. We are dealing with 10 years of weaker laws, 10 years of weakened police.

“We’ve got a generation, without reflecting on this individual, a generation of behaviour that Queenslanders have had enough of.”

The Courier-Mail has been told the boy has been under the care of the Department of Child Safety and known to other government agencies.

Child Safety Minister Amanda Camm has refused to provide details on the Yamanto Central shopping centre stabbing, including confirming whether the boy involved is currently under the care of the state.

Ms Camm, one of four ministers charged with fulfilling the Premier’s pledge to bring down crime victim numbers, dodged several questions on why the government’s “adult time adult crime” laws did not include the offence of attempted murder.

“I am not the Minister responsible for those laws, and I have not been fully briefed on that case or in regards to those rules,” she said.

“Under the current legislation, I believe we have a myriad of charges there that are consistent with the expectations of Queenslanders.

“As part of that legislation, we have covered off on a number of things that encapsulate adult crime adult time, but I’m not going to comment on today’s matter specifically in regards to that legislation.”

Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm and Treasurer David Janetzki speak to the media at Queensland Parliament. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms Camm said she was aware of “potentially” other forthcoming charges, but repeatedly refused to acknowledge the current attempted murder charge against the 13-year-old boy did not fall under the LNP’s Making Queensland Safer Laws.

“I’m not going to preempt this case in regards to the new legislation,” she said.

“It’s too early to comment as to, I think, what those charges may be in its course of you know, as that inquiry unfolds.”

Ms Camm earlier claimed she had not been briefed on the Yamanto case.

“I have not been briefed or advised any detail pertaining to that case, apart from what I’ve heard in media reports in regards to the Premier’s comments today,” she said.

Mr Crisafulli said an expert panel would recommend ongoing changes to the Youth Justice Act.

The Courier-Mail asked Attorney-General Deb Frecklington, through her office, why attempted murder was not included in the list of Adult Crime, Adult Time offences.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington. Picture: Supplied

A government spokeswoman said unravelling a “decade of weak laws is a process” and further offences would be added based on recommendations of an expert panel moving forward.

“This horrifying and shocking incident continues to unfold - as investigations are underway, today the focus must be on the victim and her family,” she said.

“The Crisafulli Government promised Queenslanders action to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis and this is already underway with the first tranche of the Making Queensland Safer laws, based on the offences outlined before the election.”

Former Queensland Law Society President and criminal lawyer Bill Potts said the stabbing at Ipswich was the first evidence of the failure of the new government’s “sloganeering criminal legislation attempt”.

“If adult crime, adult time, worked as a deterrent, then this offence would have never occurred,” he said.

“It demonstrates the paucity of logic and the paucity of effectiveness.

“The second thing is this, the reason why it’s ineffective is that 13 year olds do not sit around in the parks of Yamanto questioning themselves as to whether they’ll go and commit a crime because they are familiar with David Crisafulli’s rubric that they’re going to serve adult time.”

Mr Potts said it was rare for people to be sentenced to the specific crime of attempted murder, and that while police will start with the highest charge invariably it will be downgraded.

A reduced charge of wounding or grievous bodily harm would fall under adult crime, adult time harsher sentencing.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Steven Miles also sent his sympathy following the latest Ipswich incident.

“My thoughts are with the woman who was senselessly attacked in Ipswich last night, along with her family, friends and colleagues,” he said.

“I urge the government to provide the community with the support it needs during this difficult time.”

Originally published as Yamanto stabbing: Attempted murder not included in ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws