Mr FIELD: On 26 October last year, the people of Queensland spoke loudly and clearly, as Queenslanders often do at elections. They had had enough. They had had a gutful of the youth crime crisis that was exploding across the state. The Crisafulli government was elected on the platform of Adult Crime, Adult Time. This government stayed true to that platform and passed the Making Queensland Safer Laws before Christmas, just as we promised. The opposition had 10 years to do this but did nothing.
We have been clear that these laws will only be strengthened, never weakened. These amendments add a further 20 offences to expand Adult Crime, Adult Time. They include, to name some, going armed so as to cause fear, threatening violence, attempt to murder, rape, attempt to commit rape and assault with intent to commit rape as well as many others. These amendments, which were recommended by the Expert Legal Panel, will make Queenslanders safer. I will always be proud to put my support behind stronger youth justice laws and I thank the panel for recommending these amendments.
While examining the bill, the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee not only held hearings here in Brisbane but also in Cairns, Townsville and the Redlands. The committee heard from victims and other stakeholders regarding these tough new amendments. There were over 50 written and oral submissions from individual groups, many in support of the amendments and some opposed to them. We heard strong words of support from stakeholders such as the Queensland Police Union, the Queensland Police Commissioner, the Victims’ Commissioner and many others including, most importantly, victims of crime. The theme was clear and consistent: there have to be consequences for actions. This government absolutely agrees and will always fight for the rights of victims over the rights of offenders.
I was quite surprised by the submission made by the Queensland Law Society which said, among other things—
It is also the Society’s strong view the offence of rape and sexual assault offences should be removed …
I table the submission.
Tabled paper: Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee: Report No. 9, 58th Parliament—Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025, submission No. 48 503.
Mr Stevens: They like defending their clients.
Mr FIELD: Probably. No amount of legal jargon can convince me or, I imagine, the vast majority of Queenslanders that rape is not a serious enough offence. It is an adult crime and it deserves to be met with adult time.
The bill also amends the processes for victims who are on the eligible persons register. It gives them an option to nominate someone else to receive on their behalf information about custody movements of young offenders. This is an important change that gives greater agency to victims so that they can be in control of the way that they receive potentially emotionally triggering information. It is imperative that we ensure victims in this state genuinely receive justice from our system. It is about time that the victims came first. All too often, they are left alone to pick up the pieces and fixing that is a task I will never shy away from.
We, the victims, have been left behind and let down for far too long. In my view, this has to stop. This is what drives me every day to make a difference for my community—bringing down victim numbers and standing by victims to ensure they receive the justice they deserve. Over the past 10 years, we have had to endure the revolving door of youth offending—of them being let out time and again only to reoffend. This has to stop. The first bill was passed in December last year and the latest police data is showing early signs of decrease across some of the most frequently occurring offences such as car thefts and unlawful entry.
It appears that some of the youth offenders are taking notice of these strong measures. They know this government will always back law-abiding Queenslanders and will not allow them to run wild with zero consequences. Judges have also reflected on the requirement for tougher penalties because of Adult Crime, Adult Time in some of their sentencing remarks. These are the early signs of the tide being turned on Labor’s youth crime crisis. It does not mean we are slowing down; it is motivation to go further and make sure that fewer Queenslanders become victims of crime.
Local residents whom I listen to in Capalaba tell me constantly that they support, and rightfully demand, tougher laws to deal with repeat uncontrollable, unstoppable and untouchable youth offenders. It was obvious the soft-touch approach those opposite took to youth crime was not working. Juvenile crime rates continued to rise. Our communities are sick and tired of waking up to their cars gone or their homes damaged and of feeling unsafe in their own home. They have simply had enough. It is the role of every government, no matter which side of the political divide it sits, to provide a safe environment for Queenslanders to live.
We already know the Leader of the Opposition had to drag his caucus kicking and screaming to support the Making Queensland Safer Laws last December. In the week before the debate, it was reported that a majority of the Queensland Labor caucus was opposed to Adult Crime, Adult Time. The opposition members whinged and complained about it, and we all remember the member for Cooper saying she was reconsidering her future within the Labor Party and then she sat in the chamber and sulked with her earplugs in for the rest of the debate.
The members opposite still cannot decide if there is a youth crime crisis or if youth crime is a media beat-up, which is what the former member for Capalaba thought. This government knows there is a crisis and Queenslanders know there is a crisis, yet those opposite still have their heads in the sand. They may think it is a game. I know it is not. If this bill stops one person from stealing a car and killing somebody, it has done its job. In closing, I wish to ask each and every member of the opposition: if you do not support the bill, why not? I urge every member of this House to support this bill.