Tougher bail test to keep serious repeat offenders off the streets

Queensland is set to have the toughest bail laws in the nation under landmark reforms to be debated in Parliament this week, making it significantly harder for serious repeat offenders to be released back into the community. 

The Breach Bail, Go to Jail and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 introduces a new "high degree of confidence" test, requiring police and courts to refuse bail unless satisfied to a high degree of confidence that an offender will not commit another serious offence while on bail. 

The reforms target serious repeat youth and adult offenders and reverse years of the former Labor Government's soft-on-crime approach, which weakened bail laws, removed breach of bail as an offence and fuelled their Youth Crime Crisis. 

Under the Bill, serious repeat offenders will face a significantly higher threshold before being granted bail, while those who commit a serious offence while on bail will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 months imprisonment. 

For youth offenders, a serious offence captures any Adult Crime, Adult Time offence committed while on bail. 

For adults, a serious offence includes all Adult Crime, Adult Time offences, as well as coercive control and Daniel's Law child sexual offences committed while on bail. 

The Bill also removes the mandatory requirement under section 11 of the Youth Justice Act for police officers to consider diversionary options, including administering a caution, before commencing proceedings against youths, including when considering alternatives to arrest for alleged bail condition breaches.  

These amendments ensure police can take swift action against repeat youth offenders by removing unnecessary barriers to commencing proceedings, giving officers greater discretion and a stronger response to serious repeat offenders to restore safety where you live. 

Premier David Crisafulli said the Government made a promise to make Queensland safer and put the rights of victims ahead of offenders. 

"Queenslanders are fed up with seeing serious repeat offenders cycle through the justice system but this week, we're changing that," the Premier said. 

"Offenders need to know that under our laws, not only will there be tougher consequences if they commit further serious offences after being granted bail, but it will be harder to get bail in the first place.” 

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said Queensland was leading the nation with stronger bail laws that put the rights of victims and community safety ahead of the rights of offenders. 

"The new high degree of confidence test means serious repeat offenders won't simply be able to walk back into the community unless police or the courts are satisfied to a high bar that they will not commit another serious offence,” the Attorney-General said. 

“The message is simple: if you're a serious repeat offender, it will be harder to get bail, and if you commit another serious offence while on bail, you'll go to jail.” 

Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said the Crisafulli Government had listened to victims of crime and would be delivering the toughest bail laws in the nation. 

"While Labor want to wind back our strong laws and raise the age of criminal responsibility, we will continue to strengthen the laws to make Queensland safer," Minister Gerber said. 

"We'll continue to deliver more early intervention and rehabilitation to tackle Labor's Youth Crime Crisis and drive down victim numbers. 

"We are more united and more focused than we’ve ever been - on the issues that Queenslanders care about - unlike the labor party who are in more chaos and crisis than they were before the election." 

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said the Crisafulli Government was continuing to deliver the fresh start Queenslanders voted for with more police, stronger laws and fewer victims. 

“We will continue listening to Queenslanders and our hardworking frontline officers to restore safety where you live and turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis,” Mr Purdie said. 

“The Crisafulli Government’s nation-leading Breach Bail, Go to Jail reforms are just one of the ways we are cracking down on Labor’s generation of serious repeat offenders.” 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Premier: Jacob Chicco, 0488 401 991 

Attorney-General: Claudia Stevenson, 0435 155 490  

Minister Purdie: Samantha Scott, 0499 984 004

Minister Gerber: Phoebe Powell, 0419 625 794