LNP vows ‘adult crime, adult time’ for young offenders
By William Ton and Holly Hales
Juveniles convicted of serious crimes would be treated as harshly as adult offenders in Queensland, under a major LNP pre-election promise.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli addressed the party faithful at the annual LNP state convention on Sunday and spruiked his plans for government, 111 days out from the state election on October 26.
He evaded any mention of the federal party’s nuclear energy plans to instead focus on tougher punishment for youths who commit crimes.
Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli speaks at the LNP state convention.Credit: LNP/Facebook
Under his plan, youths found guilty of crimes such as murder, manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and dangerous operation and unlawful use of a motor vehicle would be sentenced as adults.
“If you make the choice to commit adult crimes, you should know we have made the choice to ensure there are consequences for that behaviour,” Crisafulli told the convention in Brisbane.
“We will restore consequences for actions for young criminals – adult crime, adult time.”
The Labor government’s management of youth justice and crime has been under the spotlight following a serious of violent incidents involving young people, fanning perceptions youth crime is rising across the state.
However, the LNP leader’s plan could prove controversial among legal and children’s rights groups.
Crisafulli also claimed the state government was “cuddling young criminals”, saying that if he became premier the LNP would fund individual 12-month post-release plans to keep young offenders on the straight and narrow.
“We can’t just release a young offender into society,” he said.
“We’ll partner with the community sector to work with young people in detention, in partnership with their youth justice caseworker, to develop a relationship which can be maintained when they are released.
“That will be an intensive post release supervision to keep them on the straight and narrow.”
According to an Australia Bureau of Statistics crime report published in February, there were almost 11,000 offenders aged 10 to 17 in the state in 2022-23, up 6 per cent from the year before.
The most common offences were acts intended to cause injury (23 per cent of the total) and theft (17 per cent).
In health, the LNP leader promised to provide live hospital data within 100 days, if the opposition wins government, after federal Coalition Leader Peter Dutton slammed state Labor’s record on services at the convention on Saturday.
“Four years ago, the term ambulance ramping didn’t really register with the Queensland public, and yet today, ambulance ramping is at a record 45 per cent,” Dutton said.
The Liberal leader endorsed Crisafulli as a thoughtful and practical leader who had a demonstrated plan to “end Queenslanders’ despair” and revitalise the state.
“The LNP’s policies are not only practical, they offer hope for Queenslanders that better times are ahead,” Dutton added.
“We can achieve government because they respect a leader who has not only demonstrated a plan to end their despair, but a leader who has a vision to revitalise Queensland.
AAP