Hundreds have marched on Queensland's parliament demanding tougher action on youth crime as the state government met victims for "honest, raw and frank" talks and pledged further measures.
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About 300 protesters gathered outside state parliament on Wednesday while inside, ministers outlined the government's tougher youth laws and a new rapid response unit as well as a victims' commissioner to tackle the problem, which has put increasing pressure on the government.
The Voice for Victims rally demanded zero tolerance of youth crime and delivered a list of questions, including why stronger laws targeting serious repeat offenders were introduced only this year.
The government pledged to listen to the protesters' concerns, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk telling parliament "we are on the side of victims" and saying Queensland had some of the country's toughest anti-crime laws.
However, she did not meet demonstrators who demanded a meeting, with Police Minister Mark Ryan and Commissioner Katarina Carroll among the officials who met them instead.
Mr Ryan defended the premier's absence, saying Ms Palaszczuk regularly met victims of crime and the relevant ministers and police representatives met protesters for the "very honest, raw and frank meeting".
"They've put a lot of things on the table and obviously we'll explore all of that," Mr Ryan told reporters.
"We've always said we're open to ideas."
Ms Carroll said the meeting had been "excellent".
"We are talking about an insightful group of people that have been affected by crime that have really researched the issues and are asking some very good questions," she said.
Voice for Victims organiser Ben Cannon led Wednesday's call for action after being injured in 2021 after he went to the aid of neighbour and former Wallabies player Totai Kefu when he was allegedly assaulted by youths in a Brisbane home invasion.
Kefu suffered critical wounds to his abdomen in an incident Mr Cannon said triggered a desire for change.
"For me, put a bit of a burning light in me that I want to see justice. I want to see rights, to see our community better," he said.
Mr Cannon said if the premier did not take stronger action "then as a community what we're going to do is we're going to bring a change in government and that's the only outcome".
The premier insisted in parliament that the government was listening to victims of crime and would not stop in its efforts to punish criminals, turn young people away from crime and protect the community.
But she said the issues surrounding youth justice were complex and there were no quick fixes.
Tougher youth justice laws pushed through parliament in March were starting to work, she said, including targeting of serious repeat offenders and making breach of bail an offence.
As victims of crime chanted outside, Ms Palaszczuk also flagged a new victims' commissioner role beginning in September.
The police minister later announced a new police task force that could be deployed quickly to youth crime hotspots across the state.
The Youth Flying Squad teams would able to respond to crime but also help provide early intervention and support to help break the youth crime cycle, Mr Ryan said.
Australian Associated Press
