Tougher Bail Laws Under Fire as Victims and Experts Weigh In

Exhausted and fed-up crime victims have filled a small hall in the regional Queensland town of Mareeba, determined to have their say on proposed tougher bail laws.

The gathering was one of a number of hearings being held by a parliamentary committee across North and Far North Queensland on the state government's proposed "Breach Bail, Go to Jail" legislation.

Tougher Bail Laws

Under the bill, courts must be satisfied to a "high degree of confidence" that an accused person will not reoffend before granting bail on serious charges.

It also introduces a new offence for those who commit a serious offence while on bail, carrying a mandatory 12 months in custody.

Cairns local Paul Drabble shared his anger to the committee over the government's failures to protect the community.

Mareeba local Barry Simpson told the committee current legislation failed to protect victims, and he hoped tougher bail laws would make a difference.

"The biggest thing they stole was our feeling of safety and security," he told the committee.

"If you haven't been broken into, you really don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Impact on Community

In Cairns, FNQ Softball representative Lyn Kelly told the committee her staff were exhausted after constant break-ins and vandalism at their Edmonton sporting complex.

"Mums and dads are cleaning up before the children can even play their sport. Volunteers are exhausted," Ms Kelly said.

"Myself and others were terrified to even go to the grounds so we cancelled those nights."

Victims told the committee of the personal cost of crime, from thousands of dollars in damage to fear that kept them up at night.

The majority backed the bill's push to get repeat youth offenders off the streets, while others called for early intervention and detention programs to operate alongside or instead of the laws.

Opposition to the Bill

Former inmate Tahlia Isaac said the committee was misleading the community into a false sense of safety.

"Stop selling victims of crime the lie that stronger laws are going to keep them safer," she told committee members.

"My sentence length wasn't what changed my behaviour, it was the supports that I received while I was in custody."

Cairns barrister Shay-Lee Laing, representing the Australian Lawyers Alliance, told the hearings the bill required a conviction on the original charge before an accused could plead to the new offence.

"The bill removes an incentive to resolve the matter early and that incentive presently works in favour of victims and witnesses," she said.

Conclusion

Regional hearings have now concluded, and the committee will prepare a report for parliament.

The government has said it intends to have the bill through parliament before the end of the year.