State government scraps crime victim-focused advisory panel for Victims Minister

A minister has attempted to deflect a question about youth crime after the Opposition questioned the decision amid rising car thefts in NQ.

Steven Miles and Deb Frecklington have spoken on crime in parliament.

A state government minister has used ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred to deflect a question about why a youth crime advisory committee was disbanded.

The government made the call to scrap the independent Ministerial Advisory Council, and others like it, that were formed under the Labor government.

This comes as Queensland Police data revealed car thefts in Townsville were up 12 per cent in February, compared to the same month last year.

In January, there was a six per cent rise, year on year.

When the Townsville Bulletin asked the Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber for a response, the Queensland Premier’s office told this publication the numbers were wrong and warned of a “very public” correction.

Brisbane, 18 February 2025. Queensland Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber during the first sitting day of parliament. Picture: Supplied

However, the data the Premier’s office favoured included December, a month the Townsville Bulletin did not include due to the fact “adult time, adult crime” laws were not in place until halfway through that month.

The committee, has expressed concern about the speed in which the Making Queensland Safer Bill were being considered by the Parliamentary committee, included victims of crime, representatives from the legal sector and First Nations representatives and aimed to provide victim-centric advice to government.

“The parliamentary committee process is crucial for ensuring transparency, accountability and public participation in the legislative process,” they said in a submission about the laws.

“IMAC members are concerned about the rapid pace that the parliamentary committee and public consultation processes have occurred in relation to the Bill, particularly considering the significant reforms and acknowledged human rights infringements proposed by the Bill.”

CCTV shows an incident between two youths and residents of a street in Cosgrove earlier this week.

Opposition leader Steven Miles has questioned Attorney-General Deb Frecklington in parliament on why the government scrapped the independent panel advising government on youth crime, prevention and intervention as the cyclone threatened the southeast.

“When millions of Queenslanders were preparing for a cyclone, the LNP used the cloud cover to quietly scrap an expert panel that gave a voice to victims in shaping the youth crime laws that impacted them,” Mr Miles said.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles at parliament. Pic Annette Dew

“Was it because they didn’t like what the independent panel told them? Was it because the council raised concerns about the LNP’s signature piece of legislation, about unintended consequences and the pressure it’d put on our youth justice system?”

Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington.

When Mr Miles asked Ms Frecklington about the committee being scrapped in parliament, she described it as a “shameful display”.

She said the state government had Ms Gerber in the role of Victims Minister, “and she is doing an incredible job”.

She said it was Labor’s committee, and that the government’s work continued during the cyclone and claimed that the Opposition didn’t care about the people of Queensland.

Originally published as State government scraps crime victim-focused advisory panel for Victims Minister