Queensland Opposition Pledges to End ‘Detention as a Last Resort’ Presumption

Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has committed to removing the “detention as a last resort” presumption from the state’s Youth Justice Act in response to soaring crime rates. Mr. Crisafulli announced the policy on X (formerly Twitter), saying it would “make Queensland safer.” According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, on a typical day in Queensland, there were 287 people in detention over the age of 10, well above the next highest state, New South Wales—the country’s most populous—which had 190. Indigenous youths accounted for 63.2 percent of Queensland’s total. A group representing victims of crime had their first meeting on Feb. 5 with Premier Steven Miles, who signalled legislative changes after admitting faster progress needed to be made to fight the rising rate of youth crime....