BLOCK GANGS AT STATIONS
IT is difficult to remain staunchly committed to the “no child left behind’’ policy formed in the wake of the kidnapping murder of Daniel Morcombe.
The problem is that like many good ideas, it has been manipulated and skewed – sadly by many of the people it is intended to protect. Arrogant youths are cynically using the words “Daniel Morcombe’’ daily, telling drivers and police they have to let them travel for free.
Police, TransLink officers and transport staff all know only too well there would be massive fallout if they were to tell one of these youths to get off the train, tram or bus and then the teen met foul play.
The Bulletin however still believes in the policy – but for the genuine cases, the kids who really did forget their pass or who ran out of money and were stranded many kilometres from home.
The dilemma for authorities and for the entire community is how to deal with a growing army of insolent youths who think they can scam the transport system, give everyone else the finger and in too many instances, ride the public transport paid for by the rest of us to Gold Coast shopping malls, meet in gangs and attack and rob our children or vulnerable adults.
A month ago a young Coast man was stabbed to death. Knives have been used in incidents since, including at Robina on Thursday – the same day police were cracking down on youth crime.
Gold Coasters have read reports and watched CCTV footage of drivers being assaulted and members of the public being sworn at, kicked and punched. A furious public is declaring enough!
The State Government has to protect the public by spending the money to fund greater numbers of police and transport security staff to do the job. At the moment, those monitoring the transport system number little more than a handful.
Bash gangs and opportunist robbers armed with knives have to be stopped before they get anywhere near the city.
The Government has to back the police to do the job officers know they have to do, but are frustrated by a “catch and release’’ environment created by the courts that warn offenders, then let them walk.
We know many of the criminal youths travel from areas north of the Gold Coast. They have to be stopped at their home stations. If they do not have rail passes, they should not be allowed on the trains, let alone the station platforms. If they slip through and are not travelling with a responsible adult and do not have a reason to come here other than to hang out and cause trouble, then they have to be turned around and told to go home.
They are their parents’ responsibilities, not the Gold Coast’s. And they are the Government’s responsibility.
Police Minister Mark Ryan’s response has been officers will always act against people who break the law. Of course they will Mr Ryan. It’s what happens next that is the problem. Youth Justice Minister Di Farmer says the Government is committed to taking youth justice reform “out of the too-hard basket’’ and addressing this issue “once and for all’’. She is now on the record. Ms Farmer, the Premier and Mr Ryan have to get out of their plush ministerial leather seats and act quickly.