KATTER’S Australian Party (KAP) candidate for Herbert, Clynton Hawks, says the crime wave gripping Townsville is an issue that needs greater attention at a national level, and has committed to push for more substantial co-operation between all levels of government to tackle youth crime if elected in the upcoming federal election.

Trucking operator Mr Hawks says the people of Townsville are fed up with the lack of constructive input from government elected officials, and believes that the federal government’s role in engaging with the community and stakeholders is partly to blame for the decline in the level of debate around the issue.

“What the people of Townsville want are solutions, not headline grabbing announcements,” Mr Hawks said.

Mr Hawks cites the 2018 Atkinson Report on Youth Justice which, among many recommendations aimed at the State Government, proposed that youth crime be put on a “national agenda,” in part to ensure the issue doesn’t turn into a political football.

“It is evident that while Australian States and Territories have individualised differences in their youth justice systems and offending cohorts, the same underlying characteristics of child offenders exist across jurisdictions. Youth crime remains a topical issue and concern across the
country,” the report states. [1]

“After all a high level, collaborative strategy to tackle youth crime at a national level will further enable significant systemic change to take place in a bipartisan manner,” the report continues.

“The Atkinson report’s recommendations are primarily aimed at the Queensland State government but there’s no reason the federal government couldn’t also jump in and find solutions to youth crime, especially looking at the high incarnation rate of young First Australians,” Mr Hawks said.

Mr Hawks pointed to a statement posted on Facebook by the Herbert MP calling for more punitive sentences for offenders as an example of why a federal agenda is needed. [2]

“The member for Herbert reckons the solution is throwing offenders in jail and tossing away the key, but all that does is increase the incarceration rate of, largely, First Australian youths, who then transition into the adult system and become life-long re-offenders.

“Turning kids into serial recidivists is the last thing we need and is out of line with community standards. [3]

“The fact that the Federal and State Governments are not even on the same page on a fundamental policy solution to youth crime is pretty damning.

“I guess the Federal Member must have forgotten what level of government he is a part of. Perhaps we should start calling him State Member Phil?”

Mr Hawks said the reason a national inquiry is needed because many of the agencies supporting youth and families at risk are funded or co-ordinated at the federal level.

Mr Hawks points to the NDIS as an example of a commonwealth-directed program whose policies and accessibility in remote communities contributes to at risk youth ending up in centres like Townsville.

“The NDIS is a market-driven program which, in small and remote communities, is more about signing up clients than actually providing services, because the services are simply not available in those communities.

“At-risk youth end up in the larger centres like Townsville and what we’re seeing now is the result.

A significant number of kids in detention have a learning or intellectual disability.

“Ultimately it’s the community that pays the price of the failure of the system to divert them,” Mr Hawks said.

Mr Hawks said he would endeavour to secure Federal funding – to be matched by the state – to support a trial of KAP’s relocation sentencing policy.

[1] https://www.cyjma.qld.gov.au/resources/dcsyw/youth-justice/reform/youth-justice-report.pdf
[2] https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=489609729198946&set=a.338312377662016
[3] cf, Townsville’s Voice: Local Solutions to Address Youth Crime. “A minority of residents were vocal in their view that changes needed to be made to the Youth Justice Act to enable the courts to take more punitive measures against youth offenders,” p17. https://www.cyjma.qld.gov.au/resources/campaign/townsville-communities/tsv-voice.pdf (emphasis added).