New government data has revealed that no children in Queensland have been charged with two of the state’s most serious proposed “adult crime, adult time” offences in more than a decade. The statistics, released to a parliamentary committee in March, cast doubt on the necessity of expanding a controversial legal framework that allows minors to face adult penalties, including life imprisonment.
The Liberal National Party government is currently pursuing a third round of legislation to add 12 new offences to the existing list of 33. Under these laws, children as young as 10 can be sentenced to life behind bars for certain non-violent offences, while life sentences remain mandatory for convictions of murder. This expansion comes despite the state government’s own admission that these measures are discriminatory against children and conflict with fundamental human rights.
The data provided by the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support shows a stark disconnect between the legislation’s targets and actual criminal activity among minors. Specifically, no person under the age of 18 has been charged with aiding suicide or stupefying (drugging) to commit an indictable offence since 2015.
Statistical Gaps in the ‘Youth Crime Crisis’
While the government has justified the laws by citing an “exceptional crisis situation” regarding youth crime, the numbers suggest that many of the targeted offences are virtually non-existent among children. Beyond the two offences with zero charges, the data shows minimal activity for several other proposed additions to the adult sentencing list since 2015:
- Nine charges total across four offences: conspiring to murder, administering poison with intent, disabling to commit an indictable offence and the abuse of persons with an impairment of the mind.
- 21 charges total for rioting.
In contrast, the most frequent charge within this framework was assault occasioning bodily harm—specifically when committed while armed, in company, or published on social media—which saw 3,022 charges laid between 2015 and 2025.
Katherine Hayes, CEO of the Youth Advocacy Centre, argued that the government’s narrative of a crisis does not align with the evidence. She stated that the claim that crimes not committed by young people constitute a crisis “makes no sense” and is “simply untrue.”
Comparison of Offence Rates: Adults vs. Children
| Offence Type | Youth Charges | Adult Sentences/Charges |
|---|---|---|
| Aiding Suicide / Stupefying | 0 | Not specified |
| Stalking, Intimidation, Abuse | Handful | 300+ sentenced cases |
| Rioting | 21 | Significantly higher |
Hayes provided the committee with further evidence suggesting that many of these crimes are committed by adults at rates dozens of times higher than by children. She noted that if “adult time” does not deter adults from committing these crimes, This proves unlikely to serve as an effective deterrent for children.
Legal Overrides and Human Rights Concerns
The implementation of “adult crime, adult time” requires a formal override of Queensland’s Human Rights Act. The government has conceded that the laws may infringe upon the right to protection from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. This legal maneuver is predicated on the government’s assertion that the youth crime situation is an exceptional emergency.
Questions have also surfaced regarding the transparency of the process. The specific offences were selected by a secret panel appointed by the government. Although the government initially promised to release the panel’s full advice during the committee process, it instead published a “final report” that omitted the specific guidance used to select the 12 new offences.
Beyond sentencing, the broader legislation includes provisions that impact vulnerable populations. The bill grants police the power to remove homeless individuals from designated “business and community precincts” for up to a month. It repeals the state’s drug diversion program, which will allow police to issue more fines for drug possession rather than offering diversionary pathways.
Government Defense of Tougher Sentencing
Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber has remained firm in the government’s position. Tabling the bill in March, Gerber argued that the “Adult Crime, Adult Time” framework is essential for public safety. She claimed that victim numbers have decreased by 7.2% and stated that the government makes “no apology” for strengthening laws to ensure serious consequences for criminal actions.
Gerber attributed the perceived “youth crime crisis” to a decade of “weak laws” under the previous Labor government, which she alleged saw victim numbers rise by 193%. In March, she defended the inclusion of the 12 new offences by describing them as “crimes no Queenslander should ever have to experience,” regardless of the current statistical rarity of those crimes being committed by minors.
However, broader data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that youth offenders committed only 12% of all offences in Queensland during the last measured year, suggesting that the overall impact of youth crime on the total crime rate is relatively small.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.
The next critical step in this legislative process is the parliamentary committee’s final report, which is scheduled for publication on April 17. This report will determine the fate of the proposed expansions and whether the government will provide the missing guidance from its expert panel.
We invite readers to share their perspectives on the balance between youth rehabilitation and adult sentencing in the comments below.
