Thousands more face prosecution under LNP’s crackdown on drug use

The number of Queenslanders who avoided prosecution for drug possession under the Police Drug Diversion Program more than tripled after the former Labor government widened the scope.

While the program previously applied to those caught with small amounts of cannabis, in May this year it was expanded to include other illicit substances such as heroin, cocaine and ice.

The move coincided with the expansion of police wanding operations, which continue to detect more people with drugs than knives, especially in Brisbane entertainment precincts.

The Queensland government is set to wind back the state’s drug diversion program, despite it having the support of police and health groups.Credit: Adobe Stock

Under the diversion program, people found to be carrying drugs for personal use are given three chances before they face a criminal charge. An official warning is followed by an agreement to attend an assessment program and seek treatment.

Queensland Police Service data shows that in the six months since the scope of the program was widened, 9,057 people were diverted from the criminal justice system.

By comparison, 2,307 people were diverted in the same period (May 3 to November 3) the previous year.

Police and health groups had welcomed the changes, saying it allowed officers to focus on serious crime while promoting positive health practices in the community.

However, the Liberal National Party campaigned on the need for tougher crime policies, and the Crisafulli government intends to wind back the program.

“The Crisafulli government does not support Labor’s watering down of drug laws,” Police Minister Dan Purdie said.

“Consuming, producing, trafficking and possessing illicit drugs causes serious harm to society, and our frontline police work tirelessly to disrupt these types of activities.

“Condoning illicit drug use of any kind will not be tolerated, which is why the Crisafulli government is reviewing legislation to overhaul Labor’s soft-on-drug approach.”

The move will likely see more people held in custody awaiting court or jailed for drug possession, at a time when the state’s prison system is already overcrowded.

On Friday, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie confirmed the Caboolture watchhouse would continue to hold only young offenders – a workaround introduced under Labor – due to a delay in construction of a new youth detention centre.

“We’ve extended that now till the end of 2025 to relieve some of the capacity issues that we have in our youth detention facilities,” Bleijie said, while promoting the LNP’s flagship ‘adult crime, adult time’ policy.

At the end of 2023-24, the Queensland prison system was running at 140.2 per cent of built cell capacity, despite the government setting itself a target of 90-95 per cent.

A Queensland Productivity Commission report in 2020 found a drug crackdown had contributed to prison overcrowding, while failing to stop people using or supplying illicit substances.

According to the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council, the number of adults sentenced for drug possession peaked in 2015-16 and, apart from a surge in 2020-21, has since halved.

In the five years to the end of 2023-24, a jail term was imposed in 3818 cases where drug possession was the most serious offence, however fines were the most common penalty.