MEDIA STATEMENT: A Fresh Start for Queensland: drafting of Making Queensland Safer Laws underway

A Fresh Start for Queensland: drafting of Making Queensland Safer Laws underway

• The Crisafulli Government has instructed the Department of Justice to begin drafting the Making Queensland Safer Laws, which will be introduced to Parliament later this month.
• The Making Queensland Safer Laws will include Adult Crime, Adult Time, remove Detention as a Last Resort and put the rights of victims ahead of offenders.
• The laws will be the first legislation of the new government and deliver on a commitment to begin restoring safety where you live.

The Crisafulli Government has taken the first step to restore safety where you live, instructing the Department of Justice to begin preparing the Making Queensland Safer Laws.

The legislation, which will be enacted before year end, will include Adult Crime, Adult Time, remove Detention as a last resort and put the rights of victims ahead of offenders.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity, Deb Frecklington, said the new laws were the Government's first legislative priority, to ensure Queenslanders could feel safe in their homes and businesses.

“We promised Queenslanders we would take immediate action to restore community safety and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Minister Frecklington said.

“Communities across Queensland were let down by the former Labor Government, who weakened youth justice laws, creating a Youth Crime Crisis.

“These laws are the first step in restoring safety where you live.”

Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister for Corrective Services, Laura Gerber, said strong laws were the first step in protecting Queenslanders from becoming victims of crime.

“Queenslanders voted for a fresh start and Adult Crime, Adult Time is a key part of that,” Minister Gerber said.

“These laws will help keep dangerous offenders off our streets and finally raise the rights of victims ahead of the rights of offenders.

“These laws will also empower the court to consider an offender’s full criminal history when sentencing.

“They fulfil our commitment to victims that the Crisafulli Government would waste no time strengthening youth justice laws to restore safety where you live.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Kathy Quinn 0468 369 301