Qld government under fire for ‘cherry-picking’ crime stats
Statistics show “adult crime, adult time” laws are turning the tide on youth offending, the state government says, as it’s accused of cherry-picking data.
A drop in youth offending under controversial laws has been highlighted by the state government accused of cherry-picking crime data to fit its message.
Statistics released on Tuesday have provided a snapshot following six months of Queensland’s “adult crime, adult time” laws, showing what the state government believed were positive early signs.
When taking into account population growth, overall crime fell by 1.2 per cent in 2024-25 compared to the previous year, the latest Queensland Government Statistician’s Office crime report shows.
The findings indicated a minor reduction in overall crime but showed impacts in areas important to Queenslanders, Attorney-General and acting Police Minister Deb Frecklington said on Tuesday.
The figures show a 16.7 per cent drop in the number of youth offenders compared to 2023-24.
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The “adult crime, adult time” laws were introduced by Queensland’s Liberal National government in late 2024, soon after it was elected, ensuring juveniles as young as 10 could face a life sentence for serious crimes such as murder.
“Whilst this report highlights we are slowly turning the tide on Labor’s youth crime crisis, there is of course always more work to be done,” Ms Frecklington said.
The figures also showed reductions in other key areas compared to 2023-24, including a 9.9 per cent drop in break-ins, 10.6 per cent drop in robberies and 5.6 per cent drop in stolen car rates.
The majority of robberies, break-ins and stolen cars were no longer being committed primarily by youth for the first time in half a decade.
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Murders were down 27.6 per cent while offences against the person and assaults were down 0.2 per cent.
However, a youth advocate accused the LNP government of highlighting figures to push its agenda.
Youth Advocacy Centre CEO Katherine Hayes said the latest figures also showed rape and attempted rape offences were up by an “alarming” 15.5 per cent and all sex offences had increased by 4.9 per cent.
It was pleasing the number of young offenders was at a 10-year low, following a consistent pattern of reduced offending since 2014, Hayes told AAP.
However, she took issue with the government attributing the reductions to its “adult crime, adult time” laws when offences committed by children accounted for less than 20 per cent of the total.
“So the overall drop can’t be attributed to kids alone,” Hayes said.
Tougher laws would not reduce youth crime because children would continue to offend while they were in unsafe houses and experiencing violence, she said.
Queensland recently added 12 new offences under expanded “adult crime, adult time” laws, bringing the total to 45.
Victoria announced a plan to introduce similar laws in November.
-with AAP
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