Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Anti-Social Behaviour Amendment Bill 2026
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill expands Queensland's youth crime laws, overhauls the drug diversion system, and creates new police powers in designated business precincts. It adds 12 new offences to the Adult Crime, Adult Time scheme so young offenders face adult penalties for more serious crimes, replaces the three-chance Police Drug Diversion Program with a stricter one-chance framework, and allows the Minister to declare business and community precincts where police have enhanced powers to address anti-social behaviour.
Who it affects
Young offenders face adult penalties for more crimes including domestic strangulation, stalking, and indecent treatment of children. People caught with small quantities of drugs now get one diversion opportunity instead of three. Anyone in a declared business precinct can be subject to weapon scanning, move-on directions and banning notices.
Adult Crime, Adult Time expansion
Twelve new Criminal Code offences are added to the scheme that applies adult maximum and mandatory penalties to youth offenders. The scheme is also extended to cover attempts, conspiracies and accessories after the fact for all Adult Crime offences. These changes apply only to offences committed after commencement and are subject to an existing Human Rights Act override declaration.
- 12 new offences added including riot (with GBH), indecent treatment of children under 12, domestic strangulation, conspiring to murder, and unlawful stalking
- Attempts, conspiracies and accessories after the fact for any Adult Crime offence now attract adult penalties
- Attempted robbery expanded to cover all circumstances, not just aggravated forms
- Youth offenders convicted of new offences may face life detention with a 15-year mandatory minimum non-parole period
Drug diversion overhaul
The existing Police Drug Diversion Program, which gave offenders up to three chances, is replaced by the Illicit Drug Enforcement and Diversion Framework. This creates two separate pathways: one for minor cannabis offences (up to 50 grams) and one for other minor drug offences. Each person is limited to one diversion opportunity per pathway, and repeat or high-risk offenders are excluded entirely.
- Cannabis pathway: eligible first-time offenders must be offered a drug diversion program as an alternative to prosecution
- Other drugs pathway: police may issue a $500.07 on-the-spot fine, with the option to complete a diversion program instead of paying
- Drug utensil offences can now receive a $333.80 on-the-spot fine
- GBL and 1,4-Butanediol (GHB precursors) reclassified as dangerous drugs
- Diversion limited to one opportunity per pathway, down from three under the old system
Designated Business and Community Precincts
A new framework allows the Minister to declare business and community precincts by regulation, particularly targeting anti-social behaviour in regional town centres. Police gain enhanced powers within these precincts, including weapon scanning without senior officer approval, move-on directions of up to 24 hours, and banning notices that can be issued to both adults and children.
- Minister can declare precincts by regulation after consulting with local government, with mandatory three-yearly reviews
- Jack's Law hand-held weapon scanning extended to precincts without needing senior officer approval
- New move-on directions can require a person to leave a precinct for up to 24 hours
- Police banning notices of up to one month (three months if extended) can be issued in precincts, including to children
- Reasonable excuse provisions allow banned people to access essential services, medical care, public transport and government services