Criminal age to stay

THE Queensland government will not move to raise the age of criminal responsibility, Attorney-general Shannon Fentiman has confirmed.

A motion to increase the age from 10 to 14 and bring it in line with international best practice was carried at Labor’s State Conference on Sunday but key ministers say it will not form part of government policy.

In Queensland, children as young as 10 can be charged with criminal offences and sentenced to time behind bars at the state’s three youth detention centres.

Children under the age of 14 made up 13 per cent of juveniles locked up in Townsville’s Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in 2017-18, 11 per cent in 2018-19, and 14 per cent last financial year.

In Townsville, children under 14 are regularly arrested and charged with crimes ranging from breaking into homes, stealing cars as well as other offences.

Last month a 13-year-old girl racked up seven convictions for unlawfully using motor vehicles and pleaded guilty to stealing a luxury car from the neighbour of one of Townsville’s magistrates.

In February last year an 11year-old boy was charged with holding his carer at ransom with a screwdriver.

The Queensland Indigenous Labor Network put forward the issue at the annual conference with the motion garnering the support of party members.

The push follows international criticism earlier this year when more than 30 other countries put pressure on Australia to raise the age following recommendations from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2019.

Late on Sunday Ms Fentiman said there were “no plans” for the Palaszczuk government to follow through on the proposal but she did not rule out the state falling in line if the age was raised nationally.

“We need a national proach,” she said.

“Like other jurisdictions, Queensland is participating in apa national the matter.”

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said no amount of crime was acceptable and that it was not the current government’s policy to raise the age.

“The Attorney-general, the Police Minister, the Youth Justice Minister have all been clear: it is not government policy,” he said.

Last year the country’s attorneys-general recommended that all Australian governments raise the age with exceptions for serious crimes. discussion about