Crime talk not enough
IN reference to the article on page 4 (TB, 17/6), “Tougher bail laws unveiled” and the comments made by the three Palaszczuk representatives in Townsville, who obviously think the majority of people in this city are idiots or they wouldn’t say such rubbish.
The Mundingburra MP, Coralee O’rourke, said the State Government had listened to the Townsville community and understood its concerns around youth crime.
She goes on to say that’s why we are changing the law to make sure any young person who is deemed an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community must be refused bail. The key word here is deemed. Who deems the individual an unacceptable risk and what is an unacceptable risk?
Then we have MP Scott Stewart, among other things, saying that we take the community’s safety seriously and we know the impact of youth crime has had on the community that’s why we continue to listen.
Well, Mr Stewart, youth crime if you haven’t noticed has been out of control for the past five years so if you are aware of the impact it has on the community why is it only now that you and your other two colleagues are rattling the sabre.
A cynical person would say there is an ulterior motive for such language. Could there possibly be an election looming over the horizon?
And last but not least we have Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper’s comments that it was Labor’s way of making it crystal clear that if a young person was at risk they should not receive bail.
So from that statement can we deduce that the out-ofcontrol crime in Townsville and the rest of the state has been somewhat cloudy in the Palaszczuk’s Labor Government eyes over the past five years?
Those comments, at best, are nauseating to read.
Then we have the Child Safety Minister (bit of a misnomer) advising that the amendments simply strengthened the law by removing the word “may” and replacing it with “must”.
Perhaps to avoid confusion the word “deemed” should be replaced with the word “mandatory” once the crime has been committed. The article on page 35 (TB, 13/6), “Jail failed child safety officers” says it all – 21 individuals failed in their duties as child safety officers in regards to the death of a young child who obviously needed protection.
From the article, eight of the 21 have been somewhat sanctioned, one had their pay cut, five were reprimanded with one other being referred to the Crime and Corruption Commission.
For heaven’s sake, it would appear a preventable death of a child has occurred.
As reported, the Coroner, Jane Bentley, revealed the extent of the bungling by the department demands more than contemplation.
With such a scathing report from the Coroner, the question to be answered is why is the current Minister still in her position as child safety officer?
DAVID THOUMINE, Cranbrook.