Young thugs ‘laugh at law’
QUEENSLAND opposition leader David Crisafulli has savaged the state government’s “failed” plan to tackle youth crime in Cairns, with damning statistics exposing the worsening crisis.
Official police figures have revealed the city is experiencing 14 break-ins and five stolen vehicles every day, with the shadow tourism minister taking aim at Labor’s youth justice reforms and accusing them of “sitting on their hands” as “thugs are running rampant”.
It comes just 12 months after a law was introduced to have repeat offenders be fitted with GPS ankle bracelets.
In that time it has only been enforced three times.
Mr Crisafulli didn’t hold back on the state’s ability to get the Cairns situation under control, saying it was “frightening”.
“These thugs are running rampant and destroying lives and businesses every day while the state government sits on its hands,” he said.
“Labor has failed to get youth crime under control, failed to protect our community and failed to do the right thing by our children.
“The state government gets an ‘F’ for its failed plan.
“Our state is being hijacked by young thugs who are laughing at soft laws. “It’s frightening.”
It comes as new Queensland Police statistics revealed crimes such as vehicles stolen from/enter with intent, unlawful use of motor vehicles, unlawful entry and assaults had all ballooned in the last financial year in suburbs such as Cairns, Smithfield and Edmonton.
Unlawful entry in Edmonton is up a concerning 140 per cent, according to the data.
Opposition Police Minister Dale Last said there was a real need to introduce breach of bail as an offence for young offenders as a method of tackling the problem.
“If breach of bail was an offence and a young offender broke any one of their bail conditions, the system would be able to intervene early,” he said.
“The state government must strengthen our laws to get these young offenders off the streets of Cairns.
“If the government doesn’t act now, it’s only going to get worse.
“It cannot be ignored.”