The Crisafulli Government continued to make Queensland safer by turning the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis with the Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Antisocial Behaviour Bill 2026 passing in Parliament last Thursday.
The landmark legislation strengthens Queensland’s response to youth crime, drugs, and antisocial behaviour through three key measures:
- Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to include 12 additional offences including aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm.
- New powers for police to ban offenders and move on troublemakers in Designated Business and Community Precincts, to protect small businesses, workers and families from the antisocial behaviour.
- Stronger drug laws with new Illicit Drug Enforcement and Diversion Framework, so offenders face real consequences while first-time, low-risk offenders are supported with health-based intervention
Almost 4,700 youths have been charged with more than 22,800 offences under the Adult Crime, Adult Time laws.
Youth offenders are not only facing serious consequences for their actions under Adult Crime, Adult Time, they are also receiving 12 months of rehabilitation exiting detention to break the cycle of crime and reduce reoffending.
These stronger laws are making a difference, with a 7.2 per cent drop in the number of victims of crime in 2025, but there is still a long way to go to reverse Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.
I’ll have more to say soon on the next steps, like tougher bail laws to help end the revolving door of youth crime.
