Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Anti-Social Behaviour Amendment Bill 2026

Strongly supported all three key reforms in the bill: expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to 12 additional offences, replacing Labor's drug diversion framework with a stricter model, and creating designated business and community precincts to combat antisocial behaviour.

“If a youth commits one of these serious adult crimes, they will now face serious consequences.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on the LNP's election promise to reduce youth crime, citing a 193 per cent rise in victims under Labor and advocating for stronger measures including youth holding centres and limiting bail options.

“This bill will strengthen our Adult Crime, Adult Time laws with the addition of 12 new offences. It will scrap Labor's failed three-strikes, soft-on-drugs policy. It will restore consequences for actions under a new framework.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Moved the bill as Minister for Youth Justice, arguing it delivers on the government's commitment to restore safety by expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to 12 new offences, replacing Labor's 'failed three-strikes' drug diversion with a stricter framework, and creating designated business and community precincts.

“This bill is about making our communities safer, because Queenslanders deserve to be safe and they expect that if a crime is committed the offender is held to account.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on election commitments to restore safety, citing the impact of antisocial behaviour on the fast-growing Caloundra community and welcoming the designated business and community precinct provisions.

“This bill is about one simple principle: serious crime must attract serious consequences.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing it cuts health-based interventions for drug addiction and ignores expert evidence including from the AMA, QNADA and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation that drug diversion programs reduce harm and reoffending.

“Labor cannot support a bill that cuts health care and sends health-based interventions backwards. This bill takes Queenslanders backwards.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill as ALP deputy leader, moving an amendment to split the bill so drug diversion could be considered separately. Cited stakeholder concerns about the 12 new offences, the broken promise on Expert Legal Panel advice, and overwhelming expert evidence supporting the drug diversion program.

“We cannot support a bill that cuts health-based intervention and the ability for a strong health response for Queenslanders.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as critical for his Burleigh electorate, particularly the designated precinct provisions to protect business districts from antisocial behaviour and drug-affected individuals terrorising shopkeepers and residents.

“We say that there must be consequences for action, there must be a deterrent and we must give our police the powers to push out from our precious community and business precincts those terrorising hardworking, good Queenslanders who obey the letter of the law.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill across all three elements, arguing it restores accountability for drug offending while retaining a diversion pathway for first-time offenders, and welcomed the designated business and community precincts for addressing antisocial behaviour in Beaudesert.

“It is great to have a government that is putting community safety first, putting the rights of victims first and listening to voices that stand for victims and stand for enhancing community safety rather than always siding with the rights of offenders.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill as Leader of the Opposition, framing it as a debate about health care versus ideology. Argued the bill winds back drug diversion and health-based interventions that doctors, nurses and health experts support.

“I know one thing for sure, and that is that Labor will always choose health care and will always stand against LNP cuts.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as necessary to address youth crime impacts on victims and small businesses in his electorate, arguing that Labor's decade of bandaid solutions had conditioned young people to believe there were no consequences for their actions.

“For the people of Keppel, for the victims, for the small businesses and for the young people in our community whom I aspire to have brilliant lives and believe that they can do anything, I support this legislation and I ask the whole House to do the same.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill but argued it is only part of the solution, calling for the government to also adopt relocation sentencing and castle law to strengthen the bill's intent and make communities truly safe.

“I make it clear that I support this bill. It partly reflects what Queenslanders have been demanding for years—real consequences for serious crime.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill, focusing on the drug diversion repeal as cutting life-saving health care. Cited the AMA's same-day media release calling the changes 'short-sighted and a blow to mental and preventive health' and argued the committee had insufficient time to hear from all experts.

“When we are elected to this parliament, one of the things that I hope we would all agree on and fight for is providing life-saving treatment to people who need it.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill from the perspective of a former police officer and Minister for Police, arguing that Labor's drug diversion program had failed with drug offences rising 16.8 per cent, and that frontline officers felt frustrated and disempowered under the previous framework.

“Frontline officers know drugs fuel crime.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as essential to keeping Queenslanders safe, citing the 193 per cent rise in victims under Labor and welcoming the three key elements: expanded Adult Crime, Adult Time offences, changes to drug policy, and designated business and community precincts.

“At the end of the day, this bill is about one thing—fewer victims—and that is exactly what Queenslanders expect us to deliver.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing the government cobbled the reforms together to avoid scrutiny of the drug diversion repeal. Cited a case study of a 24-year-old diverted from heroin who is now doing an apprenticeship, and questioned why the government would not release the Expert Legal Panel's actual advice.

“If she truly believed in what she was saying she would send this back to the committee. I suspect that she does not believe it, and that is why she does not want these laws to be scrutinised.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as cleaning up Labor's mess after their decade of decline, noting that local governments in Mackay and Moreton Bay were eagerly awaiting the antisocial behaviour precinct reforms.

“If you could date stamp where the youth crime crisis started under Labor it would be here.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill's intent but was strongly underwhelmed, arguing it does not go far enough to address the crime crisis. Called for castle law, bush sentencing and addressing root causes like blue cards and title deeds in Aboriginal communities.

“We do not necessarily disagree with the intent of the bill, but we are once again underwhelmed—strongly underwhelmed—by what is not in it to effectively address this problem.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill as Police Minister, sharing a firsthand account of a bikie at schoolies laughing in police faces after being found with multiple drugs but only receiving a caution under the existing diversion program. Cited San Francisco's failed harm minimisation approach as evidence against permissive drug policies.

“You cannot be tough on crime if you are soft on drugs.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Focused on the antisocial behaviour provisions, supporting the bill as restoring safety in local shops, dining precincts, transport hubs and community spaces while noting the government's housing outreach efforts are separate from enforcement.

“This bill is not about homelessness; it is about antisocial behaviour and it is about a proportionate and reasonable framework to take action.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill as Attorney-General, defending all three elements and citing Jack's Law statistics showing over 115,000 scans, 700 weapons seized and 1,550 arrests since July 2025.

“Since introducing the Making Queensland Safer Laws, more than 4,000 youths have been charged with over 19,000 offences under Adult Crime, Adult Time.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill as committee chair, arguing the committee conducted a thorough inquiry. Thanked Nambour community members who gave evidence and welcomed the new police beat and designated business and community precinct provisions for the Nambour CBD.

“For too long Queensland victims have felt like an afterthought. For too long communities watched as repeat offenders cycled through a system that seemed more focused on explaining and excusing crime and bad behaviour than preventing it.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as driving down victim numbers, acknowledged the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the justice system while noting they are also disproportionately victims of crime, and emphasised appropriate diversion programs for First Nations children.

“These laws are very much focused on driving down the number of victims across all Queensland communities and ensuring there is more access to the appropriate diversion and intervention programs.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Strongly opposed the bill, calling it a 'prison crisis in the making' and 'complete insanity'. Argued most of the 12 new offences are not committed by children, criticised the inadequate committee inquiry process, and cited police evidence that the drug diversion program was 'working relatively well'.

“This bill and this government are a prison crisis in the making. This bill is complete insanity.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill as a committee member and victim of crime, citing constituent Chris Sanders who was nearly killed in a random attack in December 2023 and felt ignored by the former Labor government.

“It is not a huge ask or even a novel concept for governments to put the rights of victims ahead of offenders, yet that was lacking for a decade under those opposite.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill with a focus on its importance for small and family businesses, arguing the debate represented a clear ideological line in the sand between the two sides of parliament.

“This is very much a line-in-the-sand debate, and I would invite anyone to go back and read in Hansard the contributions from this side of the chamber compared to that side of the chamber because this is where ideology really comes to the fore.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill drawing on his experience as a former officer in charge of police, praising the penalty infringement notice approach for drug offences as operationally practical and welcoming the designated business and community precincts.

“I can tell the House that having the ability to write a penalty infringement notice and then giving offenders the opportunity to go to drug diversion is the sort of change that police will welcome.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill as Deputy Leader of the Opposition, arguing it cuts healthcare pathways and goes against the advice and wishes of police. Quoted former police commissioners Bob Atkinson and Ian Stewart in support of the drug diversion program.

“I will take the word of former police commissioners Ian Stewart and Bob Atkinson over the LNP every day.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on election commitments, criticised Labor's record on crime and their 2025 policy platform to raise the age of criminal responsibility, and acknowledged the work of local police in her electorate.

“From a victim perspective, success is measured by fewer people experiencing harm. What victims consistently tell us is simple: they do not want anyone else to go through what they did.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Opposed the bill, criticising it as the government's third failed attempt, citing rising crime statistics in Gatton, the minister's broken promise to release Expert Legal Panel advice, and overwhelming expert evidence supporting the drug diversion program.

“This is now the third attempt by this government and minister to come back to this parliament, hoping that this time they will get it right—a true indication that a slick slogan that rhymes does not solve crime.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, describing the Townsville committee hearing where business leaders, the mayor and residents spoke unanimously about the daily toll of antisocial behaviour and called for stronger laws.

“Gone are the days when weak, spineless Townsville Labor MPs stood in this place, looked our community in the eye and told us there was no crime problem.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill including the expansion of Adult Crime, Adult Time, the new drug enforcement framework replacing Labor's three-strikes policy, and the antisocial behaviour precinct measures particularly relevant to the Sunshine Coast.

“Under our government, victim numbers have fallen by 7.2 per cent. It is not good enough, there are still too many victims, but we are reversing the tide.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill as a former police officer, citing devastating crime statistics in Townsville including a 199 per cent increase in stolen vehicles and 150 per cent increase in break-ins under Labor, and quoting local testimonies about antisocial behaviour and drug use.

“When did it become okay as a society to urinate, defecate and fornicate on people's doorsteps in public? It became okay when the former Labor government watered down that legislation, and our community is hurting.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill, calling it a 'political stitch-up' that jams together serious crime provisions with winding back effective drug diversion. Cited AMA Queensland's condemnation and argued the government refused to split the bill because the drug provisions are its 'weak underbelly'.

“If the government had any confidence in the case for ending the current and effective drug diversion laws, it would have split this bill.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Made a brief contribution supporting all three elements of the bill, particularly the antisocial behaviour precinct provisions relevant to Beerwah in his electorate.

“I too agree that permitting individuals to avoid criminal prosecution for drug possession on up to three occasions risks conveying the message that illicit drug use is tolerable whilst simultaneously weakening the deterrent effect of these criminal offences.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, citing concerns from Redcliffe residents about open drug use, drug paraphernalia in public spaces, and antisocial behaviour. Welcomed the designated business and community precincts as directly addressing her electorate's issues.

“Families should be able to take their children to a local park without walking past open drug use or disorderly conduct; local businesses should not have to deal with intimidation, vandalism, property damage or disruption to trade.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing Far North Queensland felt the crime crisis first and worst. Called for designated business and community precincts in the Cairns CBD and stronger drug laws, noting methamphetamine use is at record highs.

“We cannot be tough on crime if we are soft on drugs. Too often we hear drug use excused as a response to deeper issues of mental health challenges, trauma, homelessness and instability. It is not a solution, it is a mask.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Briefly supported the bill as fulfilling an election commitment, noting the early positive signs while acknowledging more legislation would be needed going forward.

“Drugs are banned for a reason: they are bad for people, they kill people and they create illegal activities through organised crime.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, highlighting early intervention programs like Kickstarter in Sarina and praising reduced crime figures. Argued the bill gets the balance right on drugs by providing pathways for first-time offenders while ensuring consequences for repeat offending.

“This bill strengthens community safety in three clear ways. First, it strengthens our Adult Crime, Adult Time laws, ensuring serious crime attracts serious consequences.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill, citing five former police commissioners who backed Labor's drug diversion laws and questioning the police minister's schoolies anecdote. Argued repealing drug diversion removes a health-focused response backed by evidence.

“Five former Queensland police commissioners backed Labor's policy on drug diversion laws—not one but five. That statement alone puts into perspective the arrogance of this police minister.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

In reply as the minister responsible, defended the bill against opposition criticisms, emphasised the government's commitment to victims, rejected claims the bill criminalises homelessness, and reiterated the government would continue to introduce further tranches of strong crime laws.

“The Crisafulli government is resolutely and unapologetically on the side of victims. Victims are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to putting the rights of victims first.”— 2026-04-23View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing it addresses the generation of 'untouchables' created by Labor's 2015 youth justice changes. Cited examples of antisocial behaviour in Rockhampton CBD affecting local businesses including a dance school and hairdresser.

“These youths would stand brazenly before a victim who has said that they would call the police and they would proudly boast, 'Go ahead. Call them. You can't touch us, and neither can they.' Those days are over.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, focusing on the antisocial behaviour provisions for Townsville. Described the antisocial behaviour response group already established in Townsville and argued that police need stronger powers to disrupt behaviour when services cannot de-escalate.

“They are called illicit drugs for a reason—because they are illicit. They are not legal to carry and not legal to use.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill, detailing the impact of antisocial behaviour on Southport CBD businesses and international colleges. Reported around 200 submissions from Southport supporting the bill and expressed interest in Southport becoming one of the first designated precincts.

“A local manager who told me they are now locking the doors during business hours because they feel they have no other option to protect their staff. That is not how any business should operate.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill across all three pillars, citing community feedback from the Mulgrave electorate demanding stronger laws and consequences for crime.

“If a youth is capable of committing an adult crime of this severity then the courts must have the capacity to impose adult consequences.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill, citing crime incidents in Mermaid Beach including home invasions with weapons and welcoming the designated community precinct provisions to address drug dealing and camping on the beachfront.

“This legislation gives police power to move those folk on. I cannot tell you how welcome it is and how the people of my electorate will be very thankful for this particular legislation.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill as the independent member for Noosa, arguing it ignores evidence and rebrands existing interventions. Cited 96 per cent recidivism rates, $1 million annual cost per detained child, and urged mandatory rehabilitation before the next crime rather than after.

“The reality is that rehabilitation needs to be mandated before the next crime is committed, not after. That is what being held accountable is all about.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill, sharing examples of repeated business break-ins in Goondiwindi and a personal story from a constituent whose child's cycle of drug use and offending was worsened by the lack of consequences.

“After a decade of going soft on crime, you reach a stage where there are offenders with so little respect for their communities, for their victims or for themselves, in fact, that you must incarcerate them to ensure that their cycle of offending stops.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, focusing on the designated business and community precinct provisions for Maryborough CBD, announced as a trial location. Described over a decade of antisocial behaviour decline in the CBD and praised the committee hearing where over 40 residents expressed support.

“There comes a point when a community says enough is enough, and that is precisely where the people of Maryborough now stand.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill drawing on experience as a former criminal prosecutor, arguing there is no safe way to do drugs. Cited San Francisco's failed harm reduction experiment as evidence that permissive drug policies increase overdose deaths.

“From these experiences, it is my deeply held belief that there is no safe way to do drugs—none at all.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing it dismantles a working drug diversion system and ignores evidence. Criticised the government for cancelling the $330,000 University of Queensland evaluation before it could be completed despite early positive findings.

“If you scrap a program before it is evaluated, cancel the independent review and ignore early positive findings, you are not making evidence-based policy; you are making political decisions and hoping no-one notices.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Supported the bill as restoring the basic expectation of safety, citing reduced victim numbers and record police numbers exceeding 13,000 officers. Acknowledged the range of stakeholder views heard through the committee process.

“Since the introduction of Adult Crime, Adult Time, we have seen a 7.2 per cent reduction in victim numbers, a 17 per cent reduction in serious repeat offenders and a 27 per cent reduction in proven Adult Crime, Adult Time offences.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Began speaking in support of the bill, citing the impact of youth crime on Mareeba and criticising the former Labor member for Cook for relocating the electorate office out of the electorate. Speech adjourned at 9 pm and continued on 22 April.

“Under Labor, victims of crime increased by 193 per cent.”— 2026-04-21View Hansard

Opposed the bill, focusing on the repeal of the drug diversion program. Cited AMA Queensland condemning the repeal as 'dangerous and contrary to evidence' and noted 83 per cent of people diverted had no further police contact.

“More than 32,000 Queenslanders were diverted through the program in under two years. Critically, 83 per cent of people who received a diversion warning had no further contact with police.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, citing the experience of Red Dog Brewery in Mackay as 'ground zero' for harassment and intimidation, and drawing on his own experience as a former police officer frustrated by drug diversion non-compliance.

“I have lost count of how many times while I was a police officer in Mackay, when I was dealing with a person who was found to be in possession of drugs, I had to send that person to a drug diversion session as they appeared to be eligible for drug diversion. I had to let that person go without charge.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, citing youth crime problems in Biloela and his own experience of having his car stolen. Advocated for strong drug laws, citing his time living in Vancouver as evidence that soft-on-drugs approaches fail.

“These laws take that step to capture indecent treatment of children under 12 through choking and strangulation in a domestic setting, causing serious assault with weapons or in the company of someone with weapons.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, repeatedly citing the story of Redlands resident Chris Sanders who was stabbed in December 2023 and welcoming the designated business and community precincts to give police early intervention tools.

“This bill replaces that failed model with a balanced illicit drug enforcement and diversion framework. It does two important things: it gives first-time low-risk offenders a pathway to rehabilitation and it ensures repeat offenders face real consequences.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, detailing the illicit drug enforcement and diversion framework provisions and praising the designated business and community precinct powers. Criticised Labor's series of failed crime plans from 2016 to 2022.

“We on this side of the House are restoring safety in the home and community with well-considered and methodical legislative reform. We are recalibrating the scales of Lady Justice to ensure that the rights of victims are prioritised.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill as Minister for Sport, citing youth crime impacts in his electorate of Everton including home invasions and cars being stolen, and welcoming a staffed police beat at Brookside Shopping Centre.

“I constantly received representations from local businesses in that centre that talked about gangs of youths freely walking around the place, wandering in to retail outlets taking what they liked and walking out knowing that there would be no consequences.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard

Supported the bill, praising the expertise of government members who developed it and strongly opposing drug diversion, arguing that zero tolerance is the only safe approach to drugs.

“Zero use of drugs is the only safe way to deal with drug use.”— 2026-04-22View Hansard