Newsroom

March 11, 2025

Townsville’s crime wave shows no sign of slowing, prompting Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP, Nick Dametto, to call on the Crisafulli Government to adopt stronger measures, including Castle Law, Mandatory Minimum Sentencing, and Bush Sentencing.

Despite a change of government, Mr. Dametto said the city’s crime statistics are as alarming as ever. In the past month alone, Townsville recorded 265 Unlawful Entry offences, an average of nearly nine per day, and 94 Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle offences, averaging three per day.

“We have a new government in place and new adult crime adult time laws, but this has had little to zero effect on those youth offenders who continue to commit crimes across Townsville,” Mr. Dametto said.

“We are back where we were 12 months ago.

“I didn’t comment much on crime in the months following the state election, hoping that the new government’s approach would lead to a decline in offences, but sadly there are still no consequences for actions meaning too many people are still waking up to their cars stolen or their homes and businesses broken into.

“During the election campaign, the Youth Justice Minister talked about the Regional Reset Program, the LNP’s version of Relocation or Bush Sentencing. In January, the Minister said that tenders would go out as soon as possible, but that was two months ago. We’re still waiting.

“Also, if the LNP is going to introduce a ‘Regional Reset program’, there needs to be Mandatory Minimum Sentencing attached to that. Any sentence needs to be at least six to twelve months.

“You cannot expect these kids to turn their lives around in just a few weeks. Many of them are drug-affected, and that takes time to clean them up and get them back to a healthy state.

“I am also urging the LNP Government to adopt the KAP’s Castle Law policy and introduce it as legislation. This would allow would-be victims to defend themselves in their homes without fear of legal repercussions for the home occupant.

“What we need in this state is less expert panels and more leadership.”