November 2026 Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
Breach Bail Go to Jail
The Crisafulli Government has delivered the strongest bail laws in the nation, delivering on its commitment to make Queensland safer.
The Breach Bail, Go to Jail and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 passed Parliament late October and builds on the first three tranches of Adult Crime, Adult Time reforms.
The landmark reforms target serious repeat youth and adult offenders and strengthen the former Labor Government’s weak crime laws which created the Youth Crime Crisis.
The reforms, which commence on 30 November 2026, include:
- A new offence for committing a serious crime while released on bail, which will carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 months custodial imprisonment.
- Bail reform applies to youth and adults: for youth offenders this captures any Adult Crime, Adult Time offence, for adults, a serious offence includes all Adult Crime, Adult Time offences, as well as coercive control and Daniel’s Law child sexual offences.
- A higher threshold for bail, with a new “high degree of confidence” test for serious offenders. Under the test, police or a court must refuse bail unless satisfied to a high degree of confidence that the offender will not commit another serious offence while on bail.
- Removing mandatory police diversions: The Bill also removes the mandatory requirement for police officers to consider diversionary options before commencing proceedings against youths.
Our laws are simple: if you’re a serious offender it will be harder to get bail, and if you commit a serious crime on bail, you’ll go to jail. Bail is a privilege, not a right – and our new laws reflect that.
Legislation passed to unlock the door for more homeowners
The Home Ownership and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026, passed by the Parliament mid October, will simplify existing laws to open the door to home ownership for more Queenslanders, including by enabling a buyer to be eligible for a first homeowner concession if there is an existing shed on the otherwise vacant land.
The Bill also simplifies technicalities that could disqualify a first home buyer purchasing a newly constructed home because of the way it has passed between a developer and builder.
The Crisafulli Government is tackling both sides of the housing equation by helping more Queenslanders buy their first home while investing billions to increase housing supply, including 166,000 homes unlocked by the nation-leading $2 billion Residential Activation Fund.
The number of homes under construction has grown by more than 35 per cent in two years – the largest increase in any State by far.
Reforms to protect small and family businesses and workers
The Crisafulli Government will help ease Canberra’s burden imposed on small and family businesses with reforms to protect Queensland’s workers compensation scheme, preventing skyrocketing premiums while ensuring injured workers get the treatment and support, they need to get back on their feet.
At a time when small and family businesses are being smashed by the Albanese Government and after a decade of decline under the former Labor Government, businesses would be slugged more than $1.46 billion every year in increased premiums by 2035 without the Crisafulli Government taking action.
Medical expertise within WorkCover will be strengthened and the scheme brings Queensland into line with other states, including Victoria and New South Wales, to address emerging trends and national developments including the increasing number of psychological injury claims, which has increased by almost 268 per cent in the past decade.
The reforms will also crackdown on WorkCover fraudsters and non-compliant insurers including increasing maximum penalties and recording of conviction for workers compensation fraud, as well as stronger action against non-compliant insurers.
WorkCover premiums would skyrocket by 26% in the next five years if no action was taken, decimating small and family businesses and costing local jobs.
As always, if you have any State issues you would like to discuss with me, don’t hesitate to contact my office.
Address: 1/2434 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, 4218, QLD
Phone: 07 5600 0100
Email: mermaid.beach@parliament.qld.gov.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raystevens.mp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raystevens.mp
Cheers Ray
