Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In this country, the average number of vehicles thefts per 100,000 people is about 19, but if you're from Queensland that is number is 52.4. The youth justice system is under stress, and it's not good enough for this chamber, for Canberra, to say, 'It's not our business.' Youth justice is everyone's business because we're all victims of a poorly-run youth justice system. It's under-resourced and overstressed, with crowded courts and a lack of wraparound services. Youth are on drugs as early as the age of 10. We've got to get serious about 10- to 14-year-olds. The Commonwealth plays a role the minute the welfare system begins its work in their welfare journey, from the age of 16.

My community was numbed and horrified by the events of Australia Day, when we lost Kate, Matt and little Miles. We want something done. The community came together in a city-wide conversation and came up with good ideas for state and federal ministers, because what we're doing now is not working. We must be open-minded. The high-tide mark of political will was found in the Queensland parliament yesterday, when they refused to consider breach of bail as being an offence. If it's not an offence then why adhere to the conditions of bail? We have a Queensland government refusing to contemplate that policy. There are many great ideas here, federal and state. Let's unify levels of government and sides of the chamber and make some progress on youth justice, for the sake of families that suffer for decades because of poorly managed drug policy in this country.

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