Extract from The Guardian
Premier David Crisafulli’s controversial ‘adult crime, adult time’ regime becomes law despite widespread criticism from human rights advocates
Queensland’s premier, David Crisafulli, has conceded there will be “real pressure” on the state’s already overcrowded youth justice system as a result of his flagship youth justice laws.
The making Queensland safer bill passed state parliament on Thursday, implementing the LNP government’s “adult crime, adult time” election promise.
The state’s jails have been over capacity for a decade, even before the laws, which dramatically increase maximum sentences for child offenders. Whistleblowers raised concerns of “horrendous” conditions in police watch houses as a result of overcrowding during the Christmas peak last year.
Crisafulli conceded there would be “short-term challenges” as a result of the new laws.
“In the long term, we have a plan to deliver a raft of other detention facilities and different options,” he said.
“In the short term, there will be some real pressure.”
All 35 Labor MPs present voted for the bill, with just Greens MP Michael Berkman and independent MP for Noosa Sandy Boulton voting no.
The LNP leader said he intends to ask the governor, Jeannette Young, to give the laws royal assent, their final green light before taking effect, “as quickly as possible”.
“If the laws pass shortly, we would hope that in the hours that follow, that this can be given royal assent,” he said on Thursday afternoon.
The laws apply to children as young as 10. They designate 13 offences as “adult crimes”, including serious assaults, breaking and entering and dangerous operation of a vehicle. Children convicted of them are subject to the same length of sentence as adults. If convicted of murder they must be given a life sentence with a 20-year minimum non-parole period.
The government concedes the laws are contrary to international and state human rights law, are discriminatory against young people and will “have a greater impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children”.
Many raised concern that the state’s overcrowded youth justice system – which already detains more children than any other state – would be overwhelmed.
The premier held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, surrounded by victims of crime.
“The KPI is fewer victims of crime, and that is what will drive us all the time. And bear in mind, there’s been an increase in victims every single year for the last 10 years,” he said.
Crisafulli said the government will create an expert panel to review the effectiveness of the laws, and potentially expand them.
“But I have said if things need to be strengthened, they will,” he said.
The LNP will also bring forward a second tranche of crime legislation early next year, including a public child sex abuser register named for child murder victim Daniel Morecombe.
“There will be changes that will have to be made, and we will continue to make them, not just for one year, but for the life of this government,” Crisafulli said.
A range of expert and human rights groups condemned the bills, including the chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ann Skelton.
Queensland’s human rights commissioner, Scott McDougall, said the bill was “a major step in the wrong direction”.
“We are forging ahead knowingly violating the UN Convention Against Torture against children in any other context that is called child abuse. Is this really what the public wants?”
Debate on the legislation has run all week.
The Labor opposition was long expected to vote for the laws but held a last-minute meeting on Thursday to discuss their strategy.
Much of the party’s concern was aimed at a lack of time to consider the legislation.
The bills were rushed through parliament, with just an eight-day parliamentary inquiry and two days of hearings.
“Stakeholders have raised some pretty big issues with these laws. The committee report contains a lot of expert advice and evidence that should be considered,” Labor MP Shannon Fentiman said on Tuesday.
Southern Downs MP James Lister then interjected.
“Don’t talk to me about experts. They’ve had it their way for a decade and they were wrong,” he said.
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