Jeremy Rockliff’s decision to consider extreme “adult crime, adult time” laws for Tasmania shows he has completely abandoned his commitment to the Commission of Inquiry.
The human rights of children and young people in detention was one of the central focuses of the Commission of Inquiry. Rather than moving to better protect these fundamental rights, the Premier is now actively considering legislation that would directly violate them.
There is no denying there is community concern in some parts of the state about youth crime – especially in relation to a spate of recent incidents in Glenorchy. The government absolutely needs to make sure this situation is addressed, and that community safety is assured. But we have seen all over the world that punitive crackdowns don’t work and can actually make things even worse in the long term.
The Liberal Government already has an evidence-based plan for reducing youth crime – their Youth Justice Blueprint 2024-2034. The government should be following this plan and investing in support for at-risk families and therapeutic approaches to justice, not launching a push for damaging new laws.
Jeremy Rockliff has pointed to extreme laws introduced in Queensland as “working well” to address youth crime. There is no evidence for that, and it’s deeply dishonest to suggest otherwise. Worse still is the idea that Tasmania should look to the Queensland model for inspiration when that state’s laws have been widely condemned for violating the human rights of children.
The Premier promised he would lead a government with heart, but if he goes ahead with these laws his legacy will be making a deliberate decision to violate the rights of children and causing them direct harm as a result.
Peter Gutwein will always be remembered as the Premier who did the right thing and established the Commission of Inquiry, but with moves like this Jeremy Rockliff is making sure he will be remembered as the Premier who abandoned it.
STATEMENTS FROM NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS RE QLD LAWS
- The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child – described the laws as a “flagrant disregard for children’s rights under international law”
- Amnesty International – said that “The LNP’s ‘adult crime adult time’ policy is set to put Queensland in direct violation of international human rights standards”
- Save The Children – called the law “distressing” and said it will “cause significant harm” and “significantly infringes children’s fundamental rights”
- The Queensland Human Rights Commission Chair – said that “Any society that treats children in the same way as adults is a society which has lost its way. We are all diminished by these laws.”
- Queensland Attorney-General (responsible for the laws) – admitted the laws are “incompatible with human rights”
Other opponents to the Queensland laws included:
