Youth Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Amendment Bill 2025

Spoke in support as a new member, arguing the bill delivers on the Crisafulli government's promise of stronger youth bail laws and citing the independent evaluation's finding of a 24 per cent reduction in reoffending.

“During the Hinchinbrook by-election, one of the clearest messages that I heard at doors, community meetings and polling booths was that people want bail to mean something.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

As Minister for Youth Justice, moved the second reading and outlined the bill's objectives: making electronic monitoring permanent and statewide, removing age restrictions, and simplifying court considerations. Argued the evaluation showed EMDs reduced reoffending by 24 per cent and criticised Labor's trial as narrowly designed to fail.

“The Crisafulli government will always put victims first, and that is why we are making electronic monitoring permanent and statewide and giving the courts the ability to order a youth who is released on bail to wear one.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Confirmed Labor will support the bill's passage, noting electronic monitoring was a Labor initiative, but raised concerns about effective implementation, the lack of a statutory review mechanism, and the government's failure to disclose where wraparound services are operating.

“I have made it clear that we will support the passage of the bill. Electronic monitoring devices were an initiative of Labor in government.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

As shadow minister for youth justice, stated Labor supports any tools that reduce reoffending but raised significant concerns about the lack of evidence for the expanded parameters (younger children, all offences, all locations), the critical importance of wraparound services, and the government's refusal to disclose where services are operating.

“The Labor opposition will support any tools which can reduce reoffending and, most importantly, will reduce the impact on, and the number of, victims—absolutely—because we know that that is what Queenslanders want and it is what they deserve. What we have problems with is the government making big promises about reducing youth crime and about being slippery with the truth.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Supported the bill as necessary to address the crime crisis in Far North Queensland, citing examples of offenders in Cairns who complied with bail conditions while fitted with electronic monitoring devices.

“This bill makes electronic monitoring statewide and gives Queensland the strongest youth bail monitoring laws in the country.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

Drew on his experience as a former police officer to support the bill, arguing Labor's original trial was set up to fail due to restrictive eligibility criteria and that the bill gives courts the tools they need.

“They were set up to fail. There were four people in the first year because they had to agree to it, they had to have their parents agree, they had to have somewhere to charge it overnight, they had to have committed an indictable offence.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Acknowledged community concerns about repeat offending but raised significant reservations about removing age limits, the limited evidence base of the trial, the risk of setting children up to fail without adequate wraparound supports, and the need for bipartisan long-term reform beyond election cycles.

“What has taken decades cannot be undone through legislation, bandaids, polished speeches or monitoring bracelets. It will take decades of substantial reform and investment in multiple realms, bipartisan agreements—yes, we need both sides of the House to agree—and commitments beyond an election cycle to create what Queenslanders seek: safety for all.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

As a former police officer, raised detailed concerns about the operational impact of expanding electronic monitoring statewide, noting the 5,667 alerts from just 114 young people would exponentially increase police workload, and questioned the availability of wraparound services and youth co-responder teams to support the expansion.

“My concern is in relation to expanding the trial statewide. Clearly in legislation it is not going to happen statewide. It is unfortunate that those people who will not be under the cover of EMD will not know because the department will refuse to tell them whether people can be fitted with EMDs.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on LNP election promises, describing ten years of inaction on youth crime under Labor in her electorate and arguing the bill gives courts the tools needed to hold youth offenders accountable while supporting rehabilitation.

“Families have told me directly they backed the LNP on election day because we promised real change, tougher consequences, better deterrence and a focus on making streets safer.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

As Attorney-General, supported the bill and criticised Labor for division over their position, arguing the Crisafulli government was delivering the strongest bail laws in Australia and had permanently funded youth co-responder police positions that Labor left on short-term contracts.

“The Crisafulli government is resolute: consequences for actions.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Supported the bill but emphasised that electronic monitoring was Labor's initiative, that the LNP is fundamentally amending Labor's laws, and that the government has not adequately addressed where the technology will and will not work across Queensland.

“They are fundamentally amending our laws. Let's not get away from that fact. It is a misnomer and it is misleading this House to say anything else.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

Stated the opposition supports the intent of the bill but raised five significant reservations: wraparound services are not optional, funding faces cliffs beyond June 2026, technology limitations in regional Queensland, developmental concerns about applying EMDs to young children, and the need for a legislated review mechanism.

“The opposition supports the intent of this bill because communities are hurting, victims deserve protection and youth offending must be addressed, but support cannot be blind. Queenslanders deserve honesty, evidence and transparency, not false hope.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

Supported the bill, sharing stories of victims in her community and arguing the evaluation evidence of a 24 per cent reduction in reoffending justifies making electronic monitoring permanent and statewide.

“Let me be absolutely clear: electronic monitoring for youth on bail has been evaluated. We saw the other side of the House have a trial for two years. Four youths, three in Townsville, were given electronic monitoring devices.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Primary Industries, citing the evaluation's positive findings on bail completion rates, reduced reoffending and lower victimisation, and criticised a decade of weak youth crime laws under Labor.

“The Crisafulli government is committed to restoring safety in our communities and reducing the number of victims of crime. Electronic monitoring devices are only some of the tools we want to use to help make Queensland safer and restore safety in our communities.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard

In reply to the second reading debate, thanked regional members for their contributions, criticised Labor's unclear position on the bill, and outlined the government's investment in youth justice schools and wraparound services alongside the electronic monitoring expansion.

“We are not only implementing strong laws; we are also investing in the rehabilitation and early intervention measures needed to turn these young lives around.”— 2026-02-12View Hansard

Supported evidence-based laws and programs but stressed the critical need for wraparound services, questioning where announced services actually are and when they will be delivered. Praised the member for Macalister's operational analysis and emphasised that EMDs are not a silver bullet.

“Submitter after submitter noted how important it was to have wraparound services accompany the use of EDMs—Voices for Victims, the Queensland Law Society, PeakCare, the Townsville Justice Group, to name a few.”— 2026-02-11View Hansard