E-Petition

The Petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House declining community safety in Atherton and other regional Queensland towns. Atherton, in the Far North, has historically been known as a safe and close-knit community; however, in recent years residents have experienced a growing number of violent criminal incidents that have significantly eroded their sense of safety. 

These crimes are causing ongoing trauma for victims. 

Many residents believe current policy settings and justice system responses are not acting as an effective deterrent, nor adequately prioritising the protection of victims. While prevention and rehabilitation are important, community confidence depends on a system that also delivers clear consequences and places community safety at the centre of decision making. While it is acknowledged that many offenders come from challenging backgrounds, these circumstances do not justify the impact on innocent residents. The community did not cause these hardships and should not be forced to endure the consequences.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to:

1. urgently evaluate the introduction of minimum penalties for serious offending, to signal there are no second chances for such crimes;
2. engage directly with the Atherton community and stakeholders to better understand concerns; and
3. give greater consideration to the ongoing mental consequences faced by victims.