United Nations human rights experts have slammed the Queensland government's youth crime measures, as the state parliament moves to expand the legislation further this week.
Alice Jill Edwards, UN special rapporteur on torture, and Albert K Barume, UN special rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples wrote in a new open letter that they have considerable concerns about the next round of changes, as well as calling the existing measures "incompatible with basic child rights".
The Liberal National government ran a successful campaign slogan of “adult crime, adult time” at last October’s state election, which ultimately carried them to victory.
Their promised legislation allowing children convicted of certain offences to be tried in the same conditions as adult offenders was then passed in December.
Currently 13 possible types of offences are on the list with a further 20 to be considered this week.
The first round included murder and manslaughter, as well as changes to court operations, such as removing the protocol of detention as a last resort for a juvenile and allowing families of victims and the media into typically sealed juvenile proceedings.
The second round of offences expected to be added to the legislation will include rape, attempted murder, arson, torture, and sexual assault.
“The first goal should always be keeping children out of prison. We are extremely concerned that present approaches are creating a future under-class of Australians,” wrote Edwards and Barume in their letter condemning the measures.
“Juvenile facilities should prioritise education and rehabilitation to support childhood development. Criminal justice reform alone does not result in fewer anti-social or criminal behaviours.”
“This would have an especially negative impact on the lives of indigenous children, who are already disproportionately represented in the criminal legal system,” the letter continued.
"We urge members of the Queensland Parliament to vote against the bill.”
