Getting tough on bail laws

YOUTH bail laws will be tightened to say dangerous young offenders must remain in custody while awaiting trial after a community backlash in Cairns and across the state.

Child Safety, Youth and Women Minister Di Farmer yesterday announced the youth justice act would be rewritten, although the timeline is not locked down.

She said there was a perception the current law was not clear – but under the amendments if a young person was an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community or someone’s welfare, they must be kept in custody.

Cairns MP Michael Healy said the State Government had heard the voice of constituents across the Far North.

He was pushing for the hard-line approach to be carried out in conjunction with indigenous healing camps in the Far North.

“If they break the law, they will face the law,” he said.

“I strongly believe these kids, if they are a threat to society, a threat to the community or themselves, need to be remanded in custody.

“Once they’ve done their time, we need to do everything in our power to break the cycle of reoffending, with basic things like education and teaching them respect.

“These are things they haven’t been taught because they don’t come from a core family unit.”

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said the government had done a “stunning backflip” in an effort to finally fix a crime crisis of its own creation.

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