Youth crime Qld: Deb Frecklington axes victims support council

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington has been accused of axing a victims of crime group while attention was on Cyclone Alfred.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington in Parliament on Wednesday. Picture: Annette Dew

An independent group advising the state government on reducing crime and supporting victims has been quietly axed by the Attorney-General under the “cover” of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The Independent Ministerial Advisory Council – announced by then Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in 2023 to provide advice and victims’ perspectives on criminal justice issues and youth crime reforms – was disbanded by Attorney-General Deb Frecklington on Wednesday last week.

She said funding allocated to the advisory council, where members were paid up to $1000 per full day of meetings, would instead be allocated to supporting victims.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles argued Ms Frecklington last week used the cover of the looming tropical cyclone to axe the group.

He questioned whether the group was abolished because it spoke out against the government rushing through its “botched” crime laws.

“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,” he said.

However Ms Frecklington – who refuted claims she used the cyclone to axe the group – told parliament the Labor-established advisory council was now redundant following the appointment of Laura Gerber as minister for victim support.

Victim Support Minister Laura Gerber (front) with Attorney-General Deb Frecklington

“We have spoken to them and we have said there is a victims minister and there are victims groups and committees that are running,” she said.

It’s understood the advisory council was blindsided by the government’s decision, with one member labelling the group’s treatment and axing “appalling”.

However it is understood the resignation of six council members after the state election and lack of work output prompted the state government to question the quorum and efficacy of the group.

Ms Frecklington said members of the council had been invited to contribute to other victim advocacy programs and services through the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support.

“Claims by a desperate Labor Party that this decision was made under the cover of a looming disaster are false, irresponsible, and demonstrate their continued lack of integrity in an attempt to remain relevant,” she said.

On its website, IMAC’s projects tab was blank, beside one line that declared it would publish details of public-facing projects on the page.

Revelations Ms Frecklington axed the advisory council comes a day after it was revealed she also informed the Queensland Law Reform Commission its investigations into how the state considered contested applications for mines was no longer required.

The commission was due to finalise its two-year investigation in June.

Ms Frecklington said streamlining mining approvals and strengthening the sector was the government’s priority.

Originally published as Youth crime Qld: Deb Frecklington axes victims support council