Youth crime crackdown rally calls for early intervention
A RALLY on Townsville’s Victoria Bridge has drawn about 40 people, including Katter’s Australian Party politicians, to declare “enough is enough” when it comes to Townsville’s youth crime “crisis”.
Organised by One Community, One Standard, the group is calling on all levels of government to stand together and fix the ongoing issue.
Spokesman Jeff Adams said the root cause of the issue was allowing youths to roam the streets and not intervening at an early stage.
“Right from their first thousand days, we’ve done nothing about these children,” he said.
“We’ve done very little to help support them through, and also their parents.
“For many of them they’re troubled with their role models, and one of the things we’ve said in the community action plan … is the thing we always miss is the mentor transition back into the community.”
A petition to tackle the issue has been formed with the group collecting nearly 5000 signatures already.
The rally was attended by Catholic bishops, community members and KAP’S Bob Katter and state election candidates.
State politicians from the LNP or Labor did not attend, however MPS Coralee O’ROurke, Scott Stewart and Aaron Harper said in a statement they were continually working to address youth crime.
“In March this year we announced a five-point action plan to crack down on youth crime,” they said.
“We have listened to the community about juvenile crime and have put in a range of measures through the Stuart Smith report — strategies that address the causes of crime, breaking the cycle of crime and holding those to account who commit crime.”
Mr Katter said KAP stuck rigidly to fighting for relocation sentencing, with the current system a revolving door.