The government has announced the inclusion of 12 new offences, primarily focused on domestic and sexual violence, into existing legislation, as advised by the Expert Legal Panel.

This legislation, which now encompasses a total of 45 offences, ensures that youth offenders as young as 10 years old face the same penalties as their adult counterparts.

The newly added offences come with varying maximum sentences, depending on the severity of the crime or any aggravating factors involved.

The expanded Making Queensland Safer Laws are set to be presented to parliament this week.

Since the introduction of this legislation in late 2024, the government reports that over 4,000 youth offenders have been charged with upwards of 19,000 offences.

Premier David Crisafulli pointed to police statistics indicating a 7.2% decline in the number of crime victims in 2025 compared to the previous year, crediting this decrease to the impact of the legislation.

“We promised Queenslanders we would continue to strengthen our youth crime laws and put the rights of victims first, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Crisafulli said.  

“Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time sends a strong message to young thugs, that there are consequences for their actions.”

Law Council of Australia President, Juliana Warner, has previously described adult punishment for children as a “shameful societal failure” and a breach of international human rights obligations that can irreparably harm children and disproportionately affects First Nations children, children from low-income families, those in out-of-home care and those with a disability.

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