Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The No. 1 issue that we face in Townsville is crime—youth crime. Last night, tonight, tomorrow night—someone's home will be broken into. Cars will be stolen. Youth criminals will be terrorising the streets of Townsville, and that's because of the weak state Labor government. It has failed to act, failed to change the laws, failed to listen to the community and failed to keep us safe. We know that only the state Labor members and the state government can change state laws, and we haven't seen any action from them.

People feel like prisoners in their own home, terrified to go out at night. They are scared to drive where a red light may be because they could be carjacked. They could have a knife put in their face. Townsville is known as the crime capital of Australia, and it's absolutely disgraceful that the Labor premier has failed to act. Even worse, three state Labor MPs want to tell the community that crime has been solved, crime is not an issue and there is nothing more they can do, which is absolutely false.

There isn't a day that goes by where a victim of youth crime doesn't contact my office. Some of them have messaged me and said, 'Can you please voice what has happened to us in the federal parliament?' There are victims like Debbie, who said:

I have had a teenager jump on the back of my car while leaving a local shopping centre, in broad daylight. Three men tried to break into my unit late one night damaging my door.

Roslyn said:

Last week I was run over by an e-scooter on the foot path. They didn't even stop. I was injured quite badly and taken to hospital. After my daughter dropped me home, she had an attempted carjacking. We need to feel safe, not scared.

Suzy said:

I have been broken into twice … with my vehicle stolen and written off each time along with other property damage. My children now sleep in with me and I avoid driving at night wherever I can. My kids no longer walk the dogs due to stolen cars flying around constantly.

This from another:

I have been a victim of youth crime, I was purposely rammed by a stolen car driven by youths, I was waiting for the lights to change at a local shopping centre when they rammed my car. My car was badly damaged and written off by my insurance company. I still have flash back moments. This incident has affected me both personally and financially and the girls that did this crime remain unpunished.

This is not good enough. We need a state government and state members that stand up for the people of Townsville, that call out this bad behaviour and that punish crimes, instead of what has been occurring under this weak Labor state government—a revolving door of criminal activity. Even at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre, assaults go unpunished. Staff feel that they're getting blamed for the criminal activity that happens within the centre. This isn't good enough. Why should people feel scared? Why should people feel like a prisoner in their own home? Why should people get told, 'Make sure you hide your keys'? Why should I have to hide my keys in my home? Why should I feel that there may be someone who could enter, steal my car, and that's why I have to hide my keys? That's not good enough.

My home, like many in Townsville, has been broken into. I had the police come around and do a fantastic job. Others have had their homes broken into where these youth criminals have been arrested and have been either taken to court and let go—a bit of a catch-and-release program—or sentenced and detained only to commit further crimes in detention, not charged, given time served and allowed back out onto the street to commit more crimes.

We need a tough approach when it comes to these youth criminals. We need to punish bad behaviour. We need to ensure that programs that are out there are doing the right thing. If they're not, and a review takes place, then cut their funding. Funding needs to go where programs are working, and if the detention centre is at capacity, build more beds. If the detention centre needs a review, get the review done, because staff assaults are unacceptable. These youth criminals should not be running riot and being out of control on the streets of Townsville. We need a state government that stands up for the people of Townsville, and the three state Labor members that are there right now should resign.