Police in fear of kid crims
Officer: ‘All you can do is turn on your bodycam and do nothing’ Gold Coast businesswoman faces court order over debt
An award-winning Gold Coast businesswoman whose mobile intravenous vitamin drip company has toppled into receivership has been ordered to attend court to answer questions about a court-ordered $154,385 debt against her company.
Kristie Baird, the sole director of Drip IV Australia Pty Ltd, was ordered by a District Court registrar to appear in the District Court in Brisbane on March 12 for an “enforcement hearing” relating to the alleged debt to Adelaide company Infinity Custom Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd.
The order to appear came just five days before the deputy commissioner of taxation (DCT) filed a claim in the same court seeking payment of $420,880 for alleged unpaid tax relation to Drip IV Australia.
According to the claim Ms Baird, who was living in a luxury apartment building in Mermaid Waters, was a director of
Frontline police officers are calling in sick, refusing to go out in marked police cars and don’t want to walk streets at night out of fear of being targeted by young criminals.
Officers statewide have opened up about the youth crime crisis engulfing Queensland and frustrations with a revolving door of children’s court they claim is doing little.
Fed-up police spoke out after respected Gold Coast district duty officer Arron Ottaway was stood down for allegedly authorising officers to ram a stolen car driven by notorious and armed teen offenders on a crime rampage.
In another incident this week, cops opened fire on a stolen car being driven by four teens in Brisbane after it allegedly rammed an unmarked police car and attempted to run down an officer.
Police said they feared more carnage on the roads as young the company between April 2022 and August last year when it withheld $543,472 in tax but did not pass it on to the DCT.
The 34-year-old has since made payments of $122,571, the claim states, reducing the amount to $420,880.
No defence has been filed and no date has been set for the hearing.
In the other case related to the alleged $154,385 debt, the enforcement summons states she is required to produce at car thieves ran riot, knowing cops could not chase them.
A senior police officer said crews were often afraid to go to work out of fear of being rammed by a stolen car.
“Officers don’t want to be in a marked car, they don’t want to be out on the road especially at night when it’s a real concern,” they said.
“People are calling in sick, officers have been told not to walk on footpaths at night. You’re mad if you’re not aware of what’s happening around you.”
They said officers often felt powerless. “You know you’re going to get rammed. Stolen cars will pull up in front and throw things at you, and all you can do is turn on your bodycam and do nothing.”
One major South East Queensland police station is almost 20 staff down, with positions vacant or officers off on leave.
“We can barely get a f…n car on the road,” one officer based at the station said.
“It’s not only youth crime but DV takes up so much of our
“The rubber band can be stretched only so far and police are at capacity
the March 12 hearing details of her current assets and liabilities, including supporting documentation.
She must also produce copies of the audited financial statements of Drip IV Australia for the financial years ending June 2021, June 2022 and June 2023.
She must also produce copies of bank statements of the company for the past year.
Solicitor Norman Waterhouse, acting for Infinity, stated in his affidavit that the
Queensland Police union
time. We’re just getting pulled in a heap of different directions. These kids (car thieves) aren’t stupid - they know if they hit the accelerator, we’re not going to chase.”
Another frustrated frontliner said cops were being reprimanded by bosses for not stopping at red lights when pursuing stolen cars.
“That’s why these young offenders have no fear and are doing what they like,” he said.
Another officer called it “incredibly disheartening” to deal with repeat juvenile offenders.
Magistrates Court of South Australia entered judgement for Infinity for $154,385 on October 18 last year, against Drip IV Australia.
Infinity director David Crisci told Mr Waterhouse that the bill remains unpaid, Mr Waterhouse states in his affidavit.
Drip IV Australia was based on Township Drive in Burleigh Heads.
Receivers were appointed on January 30 by small business lender Bizcap over an unpaid loan agreement.
“You send them to court and they get bailed by a magistrate then the cycle repeats,” he said.
“They will eventually front court on multiple matters, multiple criminal indictable offences. Then they’re let out again after sentencing, no time served, no retribution for victims, no convictions recorded.
“Sometimes they’ll do a youth restorative justice thing, which essentially doesn’t mean a thing and is an insult to everyone.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said police encountered “highly emotional situations every day”, a burden for many officers.
“Constantly responding to complicated and violent Domestic and Family Violence incidents alone is adding strain and tension that often lasts well past the end of shift,” he said.
“The rubber band can be stretched only so far and police are at capacity having to fill the roles of every other Government Department that does not work beyond business hours.”
Ian Leavers