Newsroom

July 1, 2024

You know that the approach of Brisbane’s government to tackle youth crime is off the rails when their own Auditor General says ‘64% increase in the average daily number of serious repeat offenders, from 2018–19 to 2022–23’, The KAP Leader and member for Traeger has said.

“A 64% increase!  This from a government who is trying to tell Queenslanders that crime rates are coming down – they best have a read of their own report”, Mr Katter said.

The Queensland Auditor General released the ‘Performance Audit Report on Reducing Serious Youth Crime’ on Friday, detailing systemic failures, and clear evidence of agencies unable to work together.

In a plea for agencies to work together to tackle the scourge of Youth Crime, the Auditor General writes “all entities are rowing…but no-one is singly responsible…”.  The retiring Auditor General, Brendan Worral also concludes his tenure with a wish that he hopes “…to see timely attention to the long-standing, inherent problems I mention here, and entities’ action on my findings and recommendations.”

“The Auditor General has handed the Government a report card that they shouldn’t be proud of, but can do something about,” Mr Katter said.

“KAP’s detailed and worked through Send ‘em Bush relocation policy is a perfect fit,” he said.

The KAP’s Send ‘em Bush policy call for:

• Mandatory relocation,
• At a remote location,
• For a fixed term,
• With intensive rehabilitation.

“The KAP’s Send ‘em Bush policy is the clear answer, and the Government and Brisbane’s LNP have so far only paid lip service to elements of it,” the KAP leader said.

The Auditor General’s report provides the startling revelation that 18% of serious youth offenders had NO rehabilitation to prevent reoffending before being released back into the community.

“What hope do we have when we have hardened youth criminals going to Cleveland detention centre, just learn how to do crime better, and then being let out into our community?” Mr Katter said.

“The KAP has been clear since the launch of our policy years ago that intensive rehabilitation is not a nice-to-do, it’s essential,” Mr Katter said.

The Auditor General’s report also shows that all of Queensland’s youth detention centres continually operated over their safe capacity every day of 2033-23.

“Our youth detention centres are full to overflowing, increasing the time that inmates are subjected to lockdowns and a lack of services due to dangerous conditions and staffing ratios,” the KAP Leader said.

"The KAP know by learning from our North Queensland First Australians that relocation, or ‘sending ‘em bush’ is a far better way to drive genuine rehabilitation, and to provide that vital circuit breaker”, he said.

“Added to the chronic overcrowding, the damning Auditor General’s report shows that Brisbane’s parties have been throwing money hand over fist at youth crime – without even testing if their ever-changing responses are value for money.

“The time has never been more right for Brisbane’s Labor and LNP to fully sign up to and begin implementing the KAP’s ‘send ‘em bush policy.

“No more talk – mandatory relocation, at a remote facility, for a fixed term, with intensive rehabilitation.

“The North Queensland designed solutions have been staring the Brisbane parties in the face,” Mr Katter said.