In the sixth week of the State Election coverage, we will be looking at the Police and Community Safety portfolio and what issues the residents of the electorates of Capalaba, Oodgeroo, and Redlands are facing across this portfolio.
During a youth crime wave, the State Budget handed down a record $4.379 billion allocation for Police and Community Safety as the foundation of Queensland’s historic Community Safety Plan.
This is an increase of almost $700 million, or 15%, over the past financial year and includes an operating budget of $3.695 billion and a capital budget of $684 million.
The record budget also supports the government’s extra $1.28 billion investment in the Community Safety Plan for Queensland, which builds on the strong laws and effective measures that have contributed to what the Queensland Police Service has identified as a reduction in some offending in a number of locations in the first quarter of this year.
To address community safety concerns, the government unveiled the Community Safety Plan for Queensland which includes an extra $1.28 billion over five years for community safety measures across five key pillars: supporting victims; delivering for our frontline; detaining offenders; intervening when people offend; and preventing crime before it occurs.
Placing an increased focus on domestic, family, and sexual violence, safety for women and young offenders, the plan takes a whole-of-government approach that brings together education, health, sport, housing, community services, domestic violence, and child protection services.
STATE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Supporting victims
- $16 million to continue and expand the Victims of Crime Community Response Program that provides immediate round-the-clock support to victims of crime.
- $15.6 million to increase the capacity of Victims Assist Queensland to process financial assistance applications.
- $2.8 million to enhance the Victim Liaison Service that connects victims and their families with the prosecution while their case is proceeding through court.
Delivering for our frontline
- 900 additional police personnel to join the over 18,000-strong police presence in Queensland.
- additional equipment such as 3000 wands and 1000 state-of-the-art tasers for detection and response.
- a permanent 20% uplift in funding to the state funded domestic, family, and sexual violence service providers across Queensland, continuing to improve women’s safety.
Detaining offenders
- $149.2 million approved for the Wacol Youth Remand Centre.
Intervening when people offend
- $13.6 million to expand the Youth Co-Responder teams.
- $6 million to non-government organisations to provide after-hours support for young people.
Preventing crime before it occurs
- $5 million in a new Local Government Community Safety Fund for communities in priority areas across Queensland to install CCTV systems and other community safety measures.
- almost $40 million to extend the Helping Seniors Secure their Homes trial until the end of 2024, which supports eligible seniors to install security related measures in their homes.
- $3.2 million to boost support for community groups such as the Neighbourhood Watch, Queensland Homicide Victims’ Group, Crime Stoppers, and Stop the Coward Punch.
Domestic Violence Allocation
- $588 million package in response to recommendations from the two Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s reports.
- $100 million in response to the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Queensland Police Services’ responses to domestic and family violence.
- Funding of $154.4 million over four years and $38.4 million per annum ongoing.
- providing $14.8 million over 2 years in additional funding to Queensland Corrective Services to support domestic and family violence perpetrators’ rehabilitation and re-entry to the community.
WHAT LOCAL ELECTED MP’S AND OPPOSITION CANDIDATES HAVE SAID?
Joint statement from Member for Redlands Kim Richards and Member for Capalaba Don Brown
Everyone in the Redlands community has the right to not only be safe, but also feel safe.
That’s why the Miles Labor Government is making record investments to deliver a minimum of 150 extra police officers to the region that includes the Redlands. This is why the government is implementing the $1.28 billion Community Safety for Queensland Plan.
The Community Safety Plan delivers tougher laws like restrictions on the sale of knives and other dangerous weapons to young offenders.
Also under the plan, Jack’s Law has been extended so that police now have wanding powers in shopping precincts, licensed venues and at sporting venues.
The government has invested in extra police on our Bay islands.
The government has invested in upgrades to our PCYC centre to further enhance the delivery of programs that keep young people on a good path in life.
The Miles Labor Government is backing police with record funding. It has provided police in the Redlands with specific funding to conduct extreme high-visibility police patrols to disrupt and prevent crime.
In addition, police have deployed Operation Whiskey Legion to the Redlands area.
Whiskey Legion sees police deploy a “surge” capacity with specialist police officers saturating the targeted area to target high-harm offenders and disrupt and prevent crime.
Police advise these targeted operations are having an impact on offending behaviours. Our government will never relent in targeting those who wish to cause harm.
On Lamb Island, the Queensland Police Service’s outreach trial is an initiative that will allow for a more consistent policing presence on the island, enhancing community safety.
LNP candidate for Redlands, Rebecca Young
If elected, an LNP government will prioritise restoring community safety and addressing the escalating crime rates that have plagued Queensland. The LNP’s Making Queensland Safer Laws will be a key initiative to tackle serious crimes and provide stronger consequences for offenders. One of the primary changes will be introducing “Adult Crime, Adult Time”, ensuring that serious crimes like murder, robbery, and car thefts are met with appropriate penalties.
Additionally, the LNP will rewrite sentencing and youth justice principles to place a greater focus on victims’ rights, ensuring that the impact on victims is given higher priority in court decisions. This includes removing detention as a last resort for repeat offenders and providing victims with automatic updates on their cases.
In Redlands specifically, the rise in crime is alarming, with car thefts up 76% and robberies up 62% under the current government. The LNP plans to reduce these rates through targeted interventions, including post-release programs for young offenders and waiving the cost of replacing driver licences and number plates for crime victims.
Labor candidate for Oodgeroo, Irene Henley
The people of our local area can rest assured that police and the Miles Labor Government are doing what matters to keep Queenslanders safe, including in our community.
And if elected, I will continue to advocate for the safety of our local area to ensure we have stronger and safer communities.
Joint statement from Greens candidates for Capalaba, Oodgeroo, and Redlands – Donna Weston, Callen Sorenson Karklis and Kristie Lockhart
“Safety is an important issue for so much of our community and everyone deserves to feel safe, secure and welcome in their home and neighbourhood.
The current system isn’t working. Queensland puts people in prison at a higher rate than anywhere else in Australia and yet people still report feeling more worried about safety and security.
Locking people up is a band-aid solution that doesn’t get to the root causes of offending.
We can’t improve community safety with more of the same. We need a better approach.
The Greens will fund justice programs with a proven track record of reducing repeat offending and keep communities together like residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres, community mentorship and trauma-informed therapy.
We will help victims struggling with the impacts of crime with easier access to Victim Assist payments and expanding compensation schemes.
We will put diversion first and intervene earlier to stop crime before it happens with free school and community-based screening for people struggling, funding school-based service and referral hubs and improving housing affordability.
By focusing on the underlying causes of crime, we can make sure everyone feels safe at home, at work and in their community.”
Legalise Cannabis Queensland candidate for Redlands Suzanne Spierenburg was contacted but chose not to respond.
LNP candidate for Oodgeroo Amanda Stoker, was contacted but did not respond before deadline.
