‘Soft’ youth crime laws in LNP sights

THE LNP will overhaul the state government’s “soft” youth crime laws within their first 100 days if they win the October election.

The bold plan will see the LNP dump catch-and-release laws, bring back breach of bail as an offence, remove detention as a last resort, introduce mandatory detention for third convictions and establish a ‘Community Payback Farm Program’.

The Opposition, should it win government, also plan to scrap youth bail houses and put more resources into early intervention.

Shadow Attorney-general

David Janetzki said Townsville could not wait for change.

“We can’t afford to waste a day before making these changes,” Mr Janetzki said.

“If we get rid of the soft-oncrime Palaszczuk government on October 31, the game will be up for Townsville’s young offenders.”

The Townsville community has long suffered from young repeat offenders.

And while there has been a lull in the region’s crime rate amid the coronavirus pandemic, offence rates climbed as restrictions eased.

In June, four teens died when an allegedly stolen car crashed in Garbutt, the driver, and fifth person in the vehicle,

David Janetzki.

walked from the wreckage relatively unscathed. Police will allege the driver was on bail at the time of the crash.

The deaths sparked a reaction from the state government when it strengthened the Youth Justice Act to ensure repeat offenders who were a danger to the community were denied bail.

At the time, Townsville MP Scott Stewart said there was no one solution to tackle youth crime but the new laws would help make the community safe.

“Any person who is a serious risk to the welfare of a person or is an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community will not receive bail,” he said.

Last month, six children were accused of a violent attack on a father and son at Stockland Shopping Centre.

All but one of the children had history with police and three were on bail at the time of the alleged offence.

LNP Thuringowa candidate Natalie Marr backed the deadline for changes to the Youth Justice Act.

“Townsville will not be safe again until we have an LNP government,” Ms Marr said.

“Labor sent crime through the roof in North Queensland by getting softer and softer on crime.

“Only the LNP will give our police the tough laws and the resources they need to protect the community.

“The LNP act decisively and quickly to end Labor’s crime crisis.

“The only way to fix Townsville’s crime crisis is to change the government and vote LNP on 31 October.”