Toowoomba youth crime: Acting mayor Geoff McDonald urges Qld Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to meet with community

Annastacia Palaszczuk stood in Toowoomba a year and half ago to announce the Wellcamp quarantine hub in the name of public safety. Now the region’s acting mayor says she needs to take the same initiative over youth crime.

Toowoomba’s acting mayor has called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to come to the Garden City and address residents over the youth crime epidemic gripping the Darling Downs, saying her presence in town was “critically important”.

Ms Palaszczuk, who was in Toowoomba 18 months ago to open the controversial Wellcamp quarantine facility in the interest of public safety, has been invited by The Chronicle every day since Wednesday to meet with the community and announce her youth justice reforms ahead of Queensland Parliament resuming later this month.

Each day, her office has not addressed the invitations and in fact ignored them.

It comes in the wake of the violent assault of 75-year-old Toowoomba man Robert Brown, who is unlikely to survive his injuries after the alleged robbery in broad daylight outside Grand Central Shopping Centre on Monday afternoon.

Three teenagers, including 18-year-old Wilsonton man Isaac Zane Cubby, have been charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Deputy mayor Geoff McDonald, who has taken on the role while Paul Antonio is overseas, said the premier needed to reassure the public that the state government was trying to rectify the situation both in Toowoomba and across Queensland.

He noted the “irony” that Ms Palaszczuk had been happy to come to Toowoomba over the quarantine hub, the approval of which the council had no say, and urged her to take the same initiative over youth crime.

The horrific attack on Monday follows a severe escalation in youth crime across Toowoomba in recent years, including the city being named the car theft capital of Queensland.

Cr Geoff McDonald. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“What’s happened here, would give rise to a state leader who has spoken about community safety to come here and address our community members,” Mr McDonald said.

“We should see a strong reaction from the state leader — here’s an opportunity for the premier to come to our region and discuss solutions.

“We need reassurance that these reforms won’t just help our community but support police, who are more frustrated than ever.”

Mr McDonald, who is on the board of the Safer Toowoomba Regional Partnerships group and has a strong working relationship with police, said the QPS needed more support from both the government and the community.

“I’m personally seeing a frustration from not only the community but police,” he said.

“I know we respect the work they do, but now’s a timely reminder to support them.

“If community members feel there is something wrong in their area, they should ring the police or Crimestoppers — that’s been the message, that level of support will help.”

Further details have been revealed about Mr Brown, including his love for motorsport.

Toowoomba Auto Club’s John Evans told The Chronicle Mr Brown’s family had been heavily involved in the sport for decades.
He also described the 75-year-old as a “lovely man”.

“He has been involved in motorsport for many years — his father Merv was responsible for building Echo Valley Raceway all those years ago,” he said.

“He is a lovely man and wouldn’t raise a hand to anyone.”