These children have been officially classified as Serious Repeat Youth Offenders and threaten the safety of our community.

One child racked up a staggering 114 charged offences in Toowoomba in the 12 months to June 30. 

The number of Serious Repeat Youth Offenders in Toowoomba has increased 59%, from 22 children in 2020-21 to 35 children in 2023-24. 

• In 2020-21, 22 children committed a total of 611 crimes in Toowoomba. 
• In 2021-22, 33 children committed a total of 1,181 crimes in Toowoomba.
• In 2022-23, 39 children committed a total of 1,041 crimes in Toowoomba.
• In 2023-24, 35 children committed a total of 931 crimes in Toowoomba. 

The Auditor-General’s Reducing Serious Youth Crime report, released in June, found that “community confidence has diminished” and “more needs to be done to reduce crime by serious repeat offenders”. 

Then Auditor-General Brendan Worrall cited the “machinery of government changes” had greatly impacted the delivery of public services to reduce serious youth crime. 

“As detailed in this report, over the last 7 years, responsibility for youth justice has moved between departments 5 times,” Mr Worrall said.

Youth crime has left significant scars on Toowoomba residents, impacting them physically, emotionally, psychologically, and economically. 

It has become almost a necessity for Garden City residents to turn their homes into fortresses. 

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP said it was shocking that a small number of youths could cause such carnage across the Garden City. 

“Under Labor we’ve seen more and more young people become hardcore repeat offenders,” Mr Janetzki said. 

“Ending Labor’s crime crisis starts with stopping the pipeline of hardcore youth offenders who don’t fear the law and don’t believe there are consequences for crime,” he said. 

The LNP has announced the Darling Downs will be one of nine regional centres to host a new residential program that will provide 24/7 intensive intervention for out-of-control youths who require a higher level of care than community-based programs can provide.

The $50 million Regional Reset Program will operate on referral basis from schools, police, child safety, and parents to deliver one to three week programs to restore community safety.

The facilities will provide a one to three week “reset” for those demonstrating high-risk behaviour, with the live-in programs to intervene and divert youths who are careening toward lives of crime.

Mr Janetzi said youths with high-risk behaviours including substance abuse, aggression or truancy will be eligible for the residential programs that can last between one and three weeks and will divert them away from crime.

“The LNP’s Regional Reset Program will reset young lives with the life skills, discipline, psychological support and teamwork to turn them around early,” Mr Janetzki said.

“We must give these kids hope and help to turn towards a brighter future,” he said.

“The focuses will be education, discipline, counselling, training and employment skills, and examples of the types of programs include community volunteering, cultural, skills, adventure and sport.”

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