Young offenders will be moved out of watch houses within 72 hours and placed in appropriate accommodation under an LNP proposal to be introduced to Parliament this week.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s barbaric practice of keeping kids in watch-houses indefinitely must end.
“Right now kids are being held for up to 40 days in watch houses across the state,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Juveniles must be held accountable for their crimes,but they belong in dedicated facilities instead of maximum-security police watch-houses designed for adults only.
“The LNP’s proposal will close a loophole in legislation exposed by the Palaszczuk Labor Government’s appalling watch-house fail.
“There is currently a time limit an adult can be placed in a watch house for, but it defies belief that our laws protect adult offenders but not children.
“Our proposal will get kids out of watch-houses in three days and Annastacia Palaszczuk needs to back it.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed today 75 kids were currently being held in police watch-houses, yet Labor are only building an additional 48 youth detention beds.”
LNP Shadow Attorney-General David Janetzki said the time limit an adult can be placed in a watch house was 21 days.
“The LNP has a plan to get kids out of watch houses in three days,” Mr Janetzki said.
“Three days would allow an alleged youth offender arrested on a Friday night to be held over the weekend until they were taken to court on the Monday.
“The LNP is seeking to amend section 50 of the Youth Justice Act 1992 by inserting a 72-hour time limitation for an arrested child held in custody.
“Every day Annastacia Palaszczuk refuses to act is another day Queensland kids endure the horrors inside police watch house cells designed for adults only.”
Parliament will vote on whether to debate the amendment to insert a 72-hour time limitation for an arrested child held in custody tomorrow.