Ms BADGER – Minister, under your government’s watch the percentage of youth subjected to diversions from police instead of court action has decreased from 54.4 per cent in 2014-15 to 35.6 per cent in 2023-24. Just this year, your government has introduced a string of new police powers that target young people. This evidence you’ve tabled based on the Queensland legislation shows that you’re heading in the completely opposite direction of the youth justice reform that was committed to, so which is it? Do you plan to increase youth diversions from the justice system or to decrease them? You can’t have both.
Mr ELLIS – As I mentioned before, we want to get the balance right. We need to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. It’s part of the reason we speak about the small group of serious repeat violent offenders, some of whom are under 18 and currently on murder charges at the moment. It’s important that we work through with some of those people early who have a small number of offences or are first-time offenders and work through that diversionary process. As we mentioned in answer to a question from Ms Johnston, we think there’s a good opportunity to look at broadening the scope for people to enter the process even if they plead not guilty, but it’s also important that we’re protecting the community.
I might also speak about a particular matter as it relates to the way young people have been pleading in recent times, and that’s doli incapax. Children aged 10 to 13 are presumed to be criminally incapable, which –
Ms BADGER – Chair, we had a very specific question and we’re limited on time.
Mr ELLIS – This is in relation to pleading.
CHAIR – Did you have a second question?
Ms BADGER – We’re talking about diverting young people altogether by putting prevention methods in place –
Mr ELLIS – Diversion is related to pleading because you have to plead not guilty to –
Ms BADGER – Unless you’re going to answer the question about whether you’re walking away from the justice reform that was committed to, which the statistics show –
Mr ELLIS – If you’re not interested in pleading that’s fine.
Ms BADGER – I think you can put that out another way, minister, respectfully.
Mr ELLIS – If you don’t want information about pleading that’s fine.
Ms BADGER – You can reframe that and be respectful, minister.
CHAIR – Ms Badger, do you have a question?
Mr ELLIS – Ms Badger, I’m happy to help. You asked about pleading so I’m providing some information.
CHAIR – No, she didn’t.
Ms BADGER – I didn’t; that’s the point, minister. We’ll just move on to something that I would like to know about, online crime reporting. You said about mid last year that the new augmented online crime reporting portal would be live by November last year. Where is that up to? Of course that was also then going to lead into an online portal for sexual assault crimes which was part of the commission of inquiry recommendations. Where are both of those new systems up to?
Mr ELLIS – Thanks, Ms Badger. Project Link is a $1.75 million project to deliver an online crime reporting function where members of the public can report certain categories of crime, providing more contemporary ways for police to engage with the public. The ability to engage online with Tasmania Police was requested by 25 per cent of respondents in the 2023 community survey. The solution will accept crime reports relating to graffiti, property damage and theft, including retail, fuel drive-off and making off without payment. It’s expected to provide significant operational efficiencies for frontline policing and improve opportunities for public and industry engagement. I’ll pass over to Tasmania Police for an update.
Ms ADAMS – Ms Badger, you need to blame me for the delay on this project because I’m not going to have a project go live when we have some technical glitches at the moment. This needs to be a seamless experience for members of the community, especially some of our elderly members who we think will use this particular capability. I’ve made it very clear to the project team that this will not go live unless those tweaks are addressed. At the moment they’re working through that to ensure that the system will deliver the service that we expect. We expect that the community will then be able to have confidence in using it and will use it.
Ms BADGER – Absolutely. I appreciate there probably isn’t a timeframe that you can provide when technical glitches are overcome. Is there a timeframe available from when that first general online crime reporting goes live to the next iteration of that, or will they both sort of come out together or you’re not sure at this stage?
Mr ELLIS – As the commissioner mentioned, it’s important that we get this right so that people have a good experience when they are reporting and it’s effective. The importance of that and the risks of that are compounded when we start talking about serious crime. I will pass over to the commissioner.
Ms ADAMS – The first phase of the project was around retail crime, minor crime we’re allowing the community to report. The second phase was in regard to the sexual abuse allegations and that was due to be complete by 1 July 2026. I haven’t had an update on whether they’re dependent in terms of the delay or have a flow-on effect, but at the moment the priority is to get that reporting system right. We had strong feedback from our community during the community survey. It won’t go live until it’s right.
