Newsroom

July 15, 2024

The Attorney-General’s recent response to the Castle Law petition, which garnered an astounding 40,470 signatures, has been labelled as dismal and disrespectful to the thousands of Queenslanders who voiced their concerns according to Hinchinbrook MP and Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) MP Nick Dametto.

“As a Member of Parliament but also the Principal Petitioner for the Castle Law petition, I’m bitterly disappointed at the dismissive nature of this reply from the person appointed as our State’s highest law officer,” Mr Dametto said.

“This petition was not just a casual suggestion; it was a resounding call to action from a community fed up with being ignored and feeling powerless to protect themselves.

“Labor clearly didn’t want to put their views on the table this close to the State Election, so instead, the Attorney-General has opted to rely on a Parliamentary Standing Order as an excuse to not genuinely respond. Never mind that the Standing Order being relied on only applies to anticipated debate within the confines of Parliament, and not outside of it.

“People are tired of feeling unsafe but also knowing that these repeat offenders get let off time and time again. They no longer want to be at risk of also being victimized by a government that seems more interested in political manoeuvring than in protecting our community members.

“The Attorney-General’s response is a slap in the face to every victim who believed that their voices would be heard and their pleas for safety would be taken seriously. It is indicative of a broader systemic failure within the Labor government.

“It is a basic expectation that people should feel safe in their own homes. The fact that the Attorney-General can so flippantly disregard this petition should be deeply troubling and should taint the views of all those 40,470 people who head to the polls in October.

“The KAP stand will always choose to stand with the victims, to demand better from their government, and not only that, but we’re also always putting viable options forward. We want to see Relocation Sentencing enacted, removal of detention as a last resort, mandatory minimum sentencing and adult time for adult crimes, these are policies we have been calling for for years.”

The Attorney-General’s response to the Castle Law Petition can be found HERE.

Photo: Nick Dametto MP with Karl Boevink, who was seriously injured by alleged youth criminals in a stolen car last October and strongly supports Castle Law.