While Queenslanders have been suffering at the hands of youth criminals, Steven Miles has laughed at youth crime.
Last week, Steven Miles has flip-flopped on removing Detention as a Last Resort, before ruling it out in Parliament last week.
Queenslanders have had their cars stolen, homes invaded, been held at knifepoint and their children threatened, Steven Miles has told Queenslanders he would not be changing youth crime laws and has officially refused to remove Detention as a Last Resort. I just shake my head in disbelief and despair.
Premier Steven Miles is not and has never taken youth crime seriously – victim numbers have gone up 213% under the current Government; Police numbers are going down, with 1521 fewer police today than Labor promised at the last election.
One of the LNP Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future is making our community safer.
The LNP will make the removal of Detention as a Last Resort the first change in our Making Queensland Safer Laws and put victims’ rights front and centre.
The LNP will take strong action to strengthen victims of crime rights in youth crime laws by:
- Re-writing the Sentencing Principles and the Charter of Youth Justice Principles in the Youth Justice Act to make victims’ rights paramount. The impact of crime on victims is currently the 10th consideration during sentencing and completely absent from the Charter of Youth Justice Principles. The LNP will re-write the sentencing principles and the Charter principles to ensure the full impact of youth crime on victims can be considered by the court and move victims’ rights up in the Youth Justice Act.
- Lifting the veil of secrecy by providing victims updates relating to their cases, with automatic updates. Crime victims must currently apply to receive updates regarding the justice process for youth offenders in what can be an overwhelming process. The LNP will remove the burden from victims and make it as easy as possible to receive updates, which is why we will shift the onus from “opt in” to “opt out”.
- Amending the Children’s Court Act to remove the provision excluding victims and their families from Children’s Court on the basis of prejudice to offenders. Victims and their families are often blocked from court proceedings involving offenders, the LNP will remove that provision to allow victims and their families to always attend court.
An LNP Government will deliver the best youth crime laws in the country and tackle the Youth Crime Crisis that Labor created with weak laws and fewer police.
