Queensland Premier Steven Miles has unveiled a raft of legal changes aimed at cracking down on crime as dozens rally in Brisbane ahead of this year’s state election.
The changes include an expanded trial of Jack’s Law, which enables police to perform random searches at shopping centres, licensed venues, and “high-risk retail outlets”.
The law, introduced after the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley in 2019, gives police the power to randomly search people for knives using mental detecting wands.
Mr Miles said the causes of crime were complex and police needed to have the “tools and laws” to track and detain offenders, including an increasing number of young people.
“Queensland is the place for opportunity and for aspiration, a place for industries of the future to foster and where anyone who wants a job can get a job,” Mr Miles said.
“Crime and its causes are complex – often stemming from domestic violence, homelessness, disengagement from education, poor mental health and lack of family support.
“My government’s Community Safety Plan for Queensland is about delivering the evidence-based prevention and intervention services to prevent crime from occurring.
“While we know there will always be some level of crime, it’s our jobs as a government to put the plans in place to respond quickly and support those victims.”
The announcement comes as dozens of people, calling for justice for victims of crime, rallied through Brisbane’s CBD before meeting with Mr Miles outside parliament.
The Premier spoke with participants of the “Voice 4 Victims” march, including one man who carried a sign calling for “self defence rights now”.
He is also expected to hold a private meeting with some victims, including the family of Vyleen White, who was stabbed during an attempted carjacking.
Among the other changes announced by Mr Miles are an additional 3000 wands and 1000 state-of-the-art tasers that will be rolled out to police officers.
Backed by $1.28bn in funding, the changes also seek to boost police ranks by as many as 900 officers, strengthen existing laws and introduce new ones.
A firearms prohibition order scheme will be introduced to prevent high-risk individuals from accessing and using firearms, similar to the system in place in NSW.
Penalties will also be increased for people possessing a knife in a public place and dangerously operating a vehicle causing death, and there will be increased weapon exclusion periods.
A prohibition will also be put in place on “posting and boasting” abort certain offences on social media, with a framework for officers to take down social media networks.