GC PUNT ON BROWNLOW
FIRST it was the Logies.
Now the Gold Coast is eyeing off another of Melbourne’s most prestigious events – the Brownlow Medal.
Star Gold Coast Casino, the home of the Logies since 2018, is keen to work with the State Government to bring the AFL’s night of nights to the Glitter Strip in what would be another coup over bitter rivals Crown.
QUEENSLAND Police figures reveal that 351 youth offenders aged between 10 and 17 committed more than 20 offences while on bail, with a further 707 carrying out between 10 and 20 offences.
These offences occurred across the state during an 18month period.
Southport MP Rob Molhoek asked the Police Minister Mark Ryan for the number of children who reoffended while out on bail from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2020.
Mr Ryan said it was important to note that youths who had offended in more than one calendar year would be represented once for each year they’ve offended, indicating the figures include instances where multiple offenders would be counted multiple times.
He added that “the data didn’t represent an individual occurrence count, as an individual may have offended on a single occasion, committing multiple offences at one time”.
It comes as Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and Bonney MP Sam O’Connor visited Arundel Tavern on Friday to reinforce how they would “crack down on juvenile crime on the Gold Coast”.
This includes bringing back breach of bail as an offence, extra resources for police and the establishment of mandatory detention for all young offenders on a third conviction.
“Assaults on the Gold Coast are up by 127 per cent and there’s been more than 400 incidences in the past 12 months alone of juveniles being attacked on our streets,” Mrs Frecklington said.
Belinda and Brett Beasley, whose son Jack, 17, was stabbed to death in Surfers Paradise in December last year, said they had spoken to Mrs Frecklington and “hopefully” she had listened to their concerns. Through tears Mrs Beasley said: “Jack is a victim and he has no rights at all and these juveniles get everything.”
Mr Beasley said he wanted police to have powers to check youths for knives using metaldetecting wands.