General News
1 October, 2024
LNP’s tough crime line
THE LNP has made clear their tough stance on youth crime with an announcement in Cairns today that will see young offenders’ full criminal history available upon sentencing if an LNP government is elected this month.
The announcement made by the leader of the opposition David Crisafulli and attorney general spokesman Tim Nicholls would give magistrates access to the full rap sheet of youth offenders prior to sentencing and the criminal record of youth offenders can be available if there’s recidivism as adults.
“If you wipe someone’s car out, if you wipe people’s feeling of safety out, your slate should not be wiped clean when you turn 18 and this will change if government changes in October,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“It means that magistrates and judges will have the full history and they will have the blinkers removed when sentencing young offenders,” he said.
“This is important to ensure that justice can be done. It’s important for victims. It’s also important for young offenders. We must make sure that all the facts are given to the magistrate so that an appropriate penalty can be given.
“The second element of this, and it’s equally significant, is upon a young offender becoming 18, that young offender’s full criminal history will be available if they offend again.
“At the moment a young offender can have a rap sheet a mile long, and then the clock starts again when they turn 18, and that is not fair for the community. There must be consequences for actions.”
Mr Crisafulli said this tough stance on youth crime was important to local residents like Ilia Sopas, owner of Mykonos café and restaurant on Abbott St, who had been a victim of youth crime.
“We’ve had enough as a community, enough of this revolving door,” Mr Sopas said.
“A month ago, while taking our shopping between our garage and inside our home, both our cars were stolen and trashed.
“We’ve had more than $10,000 in costs. Why are we, the innocent citizens, paying for all these costs?
“We need a Crisafulli government that will implement and do what they said they going to do.”
The announcement was met with reservations regarding an overflown prison system and the possibility of causing more recidivism, however, Mr Nicholls said this system would put the community first.
Labor slams policy
THE LNP’s promise to allow judges and magistrates to consider youth offenders’ entire criminal history when sentencing has been slammed by Labor.
Miles government Sport and Tourism Minister and Member for Cairns Michael Healy said this strategy would be ineffective in tackling Queensland’s youth crime crisis.
“I have been a representative for Cairns for over seven years,” he said.
“People want results and we are seeing that. Locking kids up for longer and ensuring they keep their criminal record will do nothing to put downward pressure on crime.”
Mr Healy also said Labor was putting programs and initiatives in place to tackle the root of the issue.
“There were a wide range of initiatives where young juveniles were being engaged, a lot of those stopped, where we saw juvenile crime and a range of other crime skyrocket. Now we’re working towards putting downward pressure, ensuring that our courts are empowered, our police have the best resources, and we’re also introducing new youth health services into schools to identify at-risk children.”
