Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce
November message
I’m writing to share an important update on bail reform in Queensland, with Breach of Bail Laws passing Parliament last week and now in effect. After listening to community members right across the state, including here on the Gold Coast, the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee has backed our plan to make Queensland’s bail laws the strongest in the country.
The changes include:
- A new offence for committing a significant crime while out on bail, to apply to both youth and adults
- A minimum 12-month minimum mandatory sentence to be served in custody
I would like to thank everyone who completed our survey or made a submission to the committee regarding these laws – the community’s support is what makes change possible. Strengthening our bail laws is the next phase of Adult Crime, Adult Time, which has already seen victim number fall 9.6%, after a decade of Labor’s weak laws saw them skyrocket by 193%.
We understand the frustration with some recent bail decisions that have been made by the courts under the former Labor Government’s weak laws.
We know there’s still a long way to go, but this is the next step in restoring safety where we live.
Kind regards,
The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek MP
Member for Surfers Paradise
Minister for Education and the Arts
