PREMIER CALLS COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO FIND NEW WAYS TO KEEP TEENAGERS SAFER
Published Sunday, 01 October, 2006 at 05:00 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Premier Peter Beattie has asked the Minister for Police and the Minister for Communities to work together with the Queensland community to investigate innovative solutions to youth violence.
“While violence between young people is nothing new, the tragic death of 15 year old Matthew Stanley demands an investigation into new ways of making our young people safer,” Mr Beattie said.
Police Minister Judy Spence will chair a new taskforce to help find ways to stop the violence that is ruining young lives.
Mr Beattie said Communities Minister Warren Pitt would be deputy chair of the Youth Violence Taskforce.
“The Police and Communities Ministers will work together with representatives from across the Queensland community to tackle the problem of violence being used by young Queenslanders,” Mr Beattie said.
“We need to examine all possible strategies for curbing youth violence – including those being trialled interstate and overseas.”
Mr Beattie said Paul Stanley – the father of 15-year-old Matthew Stanley who died last Sunday night after an assault outside a party at Alexandra Hills – had agreed to be a member of the taskforce.
“We are pleased to have Paul Stanley as a member of the taskforce, and we will also be approaching young people, teachers, the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group and members of ethnic communities to join in this initiative,” Mr Beattie said.
“Additionally, the taskforce will have representatives from the departments of Premier and Cabinet, Police, Communities, Health, Justice, Education and Multiculturalism and the Parents and Citizens Association.
“The Youth Violence Taskforce will put the lives of young Queenslanders in the spotlight and look at how to improve the attitude among young people towards their use of violence.
“I am alarmed by some very high-profile incidents of late, where young people have been the victims – or the perpetrators – of violent assaults.
“Some of these have been random, while others have been provoked,” Mr Beattie said.
Police Minister Judy Spence said young men aged 15-19 make up the single highest category of offenders against other people in Queensland.
They are also the age group that are most likely to be victims of crime.
“In 2004/05 there were 3055 offences per 100,000 people against others committed by males aged 15-19 in Queensland, compared to 753 offences by men aged 55 and over,” Ms Spence said.
“We have to find ways to educate those young people who think violence is the only way to deal with anger – whether it may be getting into fisticuffs over a road rage incident, or to settle an argument, or in an act of revenge.
“As the mother of two young men, I am saddened each time I hear of violence that is occurring among our young males.
“I don’t think that young men realise that one punch to the head can kill someone. Young people tend to think they are invincible.
“I am also appalled by the phenomena where some young people think it is acceptable to kick someone who is down, or for groups of people to set upon an individual.
“Police statistics show that the older people get, the less likely they are to commit assault offences. This may have something to do with the maturity of older age – or lessons learned in youth,” Ms Spence said.
Communities Minister Warren Pitt said community involvement was vital to lower the level of violence perpetrated between and by young people.
“Governments can only do so much,” Mr Pitt said.
“While most parents apply commonsense to issues such as alcohol, and don’t condone or encourage alcohol abuse by young people, the small minority of parents who are condoning or turning a blind eye are doing the wrong thing by their kids.”
The taskforce would look at the role that parents play, along with issues affecting young people such as anger management, peer pressure and attitudes to violence.
“Certainly, I believe parents have a role to play in this,” the Premier said.
“Young people can get into trouble when they are left to their own devices late at night, or at events where there is no adult supervision.
“We need to find new ways to ensure our kids are safe while they are out having fun,” he said.
The state government will approach stakeholders over the next week to make up the taskforce’s membership.
Once established, the taskforce will meet monthly and provide regular feedback to the government over the next 12 months.
Sunday October 1, 2006
Media contact:
Premier’s Office – Wendy George – 0400 760 492
Police Minister - Alison Smith 3239 6218 / 0439 673 287
Communities Minister – Joe Begley 0408 701 379
“While violence between young people is nothing new, the tragic death of 15 year old Matthew Stanley demands an investigation into new ways of making our young people safer,” Mr Beattie said.
Police Minister Judy Spence will chair a new taskforce to help find ways to stop the violence that is ruining young lives.
Mr Beattie said Communities Minister Warren Pitt would be deputy chair of the Youth Violence Taskforce.
“The Police and Communities Ministers will work together with representatives from across the Queensland community to tackle the problem of violence being used by young Queenslanders,” Mr Beattie said.
“We need to examine all possible strategies for curbing youth violence – including those being trialled interstate and overseas.”
Mr Beattie said Paul Stanley – the father of 15-year-old Matthew Stanley who died last Sunday night after an assault outside a party at Alexandra Hills – had agreed to be a member of the taskforce.
“We are pleased to have Paul Stanley as a member of the taskforce, and we will also be approaching young people, teachers, the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group and members of ethnic communities to join in this initiative,” Mr Beattie said.
“Additionally, the taskforce will have representatives from the departments of Premier and Cabinet, Police, Communities, Health, Justice, Education and Multiculturalism and the Parents and Citizens Association.
“The Youth Violence Taskforce will put the lives of young Queenslanders in the spotlight and look at how to improve the attitude among young people towards their use of violence.
“I am alarmed by some very high-profile incidents of late, where young people have been the victims – or the perpetrators – of violent assaults.
“Some of these have been random, while others have been provoked,” Mr Beattie said.
Police Minister Judy Spence said young men aged 15-19 make up the single highest category of offenders against other people in Queensland.
They are also the age group that are most likely to be victims of crime.
“In 2004/05 there were 3055 offences per 100,000 people against others committed by males aged 15-19 in Queensland, compared to 753 offences by men aged 55 and over,” Ms Spence said.
“We have to find ways to educate those young people who think violence is the only way to deal with anger – whether it may be getting into fisticuffs over a road rage incident, or to settle an argument, or in an act of revenge.
“As the mother of two young men, I am saddened each time I hear of violence that is occurring among our young males.
“I don’t think that young men realise that one punch to the head can kill someone. Young people tend to think they are invincible.
“I am also appalled by the phenomena where some young people think it is acceptable to kick someone who is down, or for groups of people to set upon an individual.
“Police statistics show that the older people get, the less likely they are to commit assault offences. This may have something to do with the maturity of older age – or lessons learned in youth,” Ms Spence said.
Communities Minister Warren Pitt said community involvement was vital to lower the level of violence perpetrated between and by young people.
“Governments can only do so much,” Mr Pitt said.
“While most parents apply commonsense to issues such as alcohol, and don’t condone or encourage alcohol abuse by young people, the small minority of parents who are condoning or turning a blind eye are doing the wrong thing by their kids.”
The taskforce would look at the role that parents play, along with issues affecting young people such as anger management, peer pressure and attitudes to violence.
“Certainly, I believe parents have a role to play in this,” the Premier said.
“Young people can get into trouble when they are left to their own devices late at night, or at events where there is no adult supervision.
“We need to find new ways to ensure our kids are safe while they are out having fun,” he said.
The state government will approach stakeholders over the next week to make up the taskforce’s membership.
Once established, the taskforce will meet monthly and provide regular feedback to the government over the next 12 months.
Sunday October 1, 2006
Media contact:
Premier’s Office – Wendy George – 0400 760 492
Police Minister - Alison Smith 3239 6218 / 0439 673 287
Communities Minister – Joe Begley 0408 701 379