Crack down on youth crime
Labor’s youth crime crisis is hurting households and businesses. The Palaszczuk Government’s soft sentencing and catch-and-release bail laws mean repeat offenders face no deterrent and commit more crime.
Communities across Queensland feel less safe today because crime is getting worse and there are no consequences for the perpetrators. It’s not good enough that homeowners go to bed wondering if their car will still be in the driveway in the morning or that shopkeepers expect violent robberies as inevitable.
Deb Frecklington and the LNP have announced a comprehensive crackdown on crime – particularly youth crime. An LNP Government will introduce tougher laws, monitor youth offenders on bail ?24/7?, introduce mandatory detention for third convictions, establish a Community Payback Farm program, scrap youth bail houses, and increase early intervention.?????
Get tough on sentencing and strengthen bail laws
Crime is getting worse because criminals don’t face consequences. Youth offenders know that they can get away with crimes because their bail conditions aren’t enforced and they will only face a prison sentence after a long history of offending. Under Labor, the courts can only impose a prison sentence as a “last resort”.
The LNP is determined to fix the crime crisis gripping communities across Queensland. If elected, we will end Labor’s principle of jail as a “last resort”. We will give police new laws and more consequences to work with by making breach of bail an offence again. We will also force the courts to impose a prison sentence after a third conviction. Labor’s catch-and-release approach to crime will end under an LNP Government.
Overhaul Queensland’s child safety system
Queensland’s child safety system is broken. Since 2015, 16 children known to the Department of Child Safety have died from assault or neglect. The Palaszczuk Government has chosen to bury their mistakes rather than accept and learn from them. It’s unacceptable and it needs to change.
An LNP Government will overhaul Queensland’s broken child safety system. We will establish the Child Protection Force – a dedicated, standalone agency that will operate with a 24-hour rapid response team to protect children around the clock. The Child Protection Force will recruit specialist officers from within the Queensland Police Service to clear the backlogs and stop vulnerable kids from falling through the cracks We will also provide more support for foster carers and increase the use of adoption to provide safer, long-term options for young children suffering from abuse.
The Child Protection Force will be purpose-driven and accountable. Officers will receive specialist training and performance reporting will be mandatory for all regional child safety service centres. We owe it to every child in Queensland – and the memory of those who’ve passed – to get this right.