A submission to the Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025 proposes that changes in the Amendment Bill will not work and still remain incompatible with the human rights of children. Deep concerns are held about the original Bill and the Amendment Bill. The submission does not support the proposed legislation. It finds detention is not an effective deterrent, so the changes in the Amendment Bill 2025 are doomed to failure.

Recent programs and research suggest that actively supporting children between the ages of 10 and 13 can have outsized positive results. This is reflected in the integrative approaches and environments that the Queensland Government’s Staying on Track program is prioritising to support young people. Recent research likewise suggests that targeted intervention – especially for children between the ages of 10 and 11 – may be particularly effective in preventing long-term offending behaviours. 

Reducing the educational exclusion of upper primary school children could contribute to a reduced 'pipeline' of alleged offending behaviours. Among other strategies, the submission suggests focusing on the relatively small group of children at this young age would make an effective contribution to breaking cycles of reoffending and also address the Queensland Government’s desire to '[hold] young people accountable for their actions'.

Key recommendations

• The Queensland Government not pass the Making Queensland Safer (Adult Crime, Adult Time) Amendment Bill 2025.
• Focus on preventing the long-term offending behaviours of children and young people in Queensland by including funding for specific programs, targeted interventions, and approaches to educational inclusion that support children between 10 and 13 years of age.