Minister for Finance, Minister for Trade and Minister for Employment and Training

The Honourable Ros Bates

22 May 2025

 

MEDIA STATEMENT: Adult Crime, Adult Time laws strengthened in Queensland

 

  • Youth offenders will now face tough consequences for 33 offences in Queensland under Adult Crime, Adult Time, after Queensland Parliament passes expansion of tough new laws.
  • 20 additional offences have been included in Adult Crime, Adult Time, following LNP’s commitment to continue strengthening youth crime laws
  • New offences include; arson, torture, kidnapping, trafficking in dangerous drugs, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, ramming a police vehicle while driving and attempted murder.

Youth criminals in Queensland will now face tough consequences for 33 youth crime offences under Adult Crime, Adult Time, after parliament passed a Bill to expand the Making Queensland Safer Laws.

20 additional offences have been added to the Crisafulli Government’s strong crime laws, including attempted murder, rape, attempted rape, torture, aggravated attempted robbery, trafficking in dangerous drugs, and endangering a police officer when driving a motor vehicle.

This milestone delivers on the Crisafulli Government’s promise at the election to expand Adult Crime, Adult Time, to include more complex and serious offences, following recommendations made by the Expert Legal Panel.

The Expert Legal Panel delivered recommendations to the Government after conducting stakeholder consultations across Queensland, and considering crime statistics, relevant case law, community safety and harm indexes.

Member for Mudgeeraba, Hon. Ros Bates, said expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time was another step towards restoring safety back to our communities.

“We are delivering on our promise to continue strengthening our youth crime laws until safety is restored to Queensland after a decade of Labor’s weak laws created a generation of hardcore repeat youth offenders,” Hon. Ros Bates MP, said.

“Youth criminals will not only face tough consequences for 33 serious offences under Adult Crime, Adult Time but they will also receive early intervention and intensive rehabilitation to help break the cycle of crime for good.

“It will take time to fix Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis but, we are finally on the path towards fewer victims of crime in Queensland, and we won’t stop strengthening our laws until Queenslanders feel safe in their homes once again”.

ENDS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Full list of Adult Crime, Adult Time offences available here.

Media contact: Hannah (07) 5601 7100