BRISBANE, Queensland, Sept. 17 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support and Minister for Corrective Services
The Honourable Laura Gerber
* The Crisafulli Government's nation-leading Circuit Breaker Sentencing has passed Parliament, delivering a new court-ordered intensive rehabilitation program to make Queensland safer and drive down youth crime, despite Labor voting against it.
* The new program will be the last stop before detention for youth offenders, for up to six months in remote locations away from populated areas.
* Legislation delivers on a keyCrisafulli Government election commitment to turn the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis and restore safety where you live.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering on a key election commitment and restoring safety where you live, with Circuit Breaker Sentencing, passing Parliament today.
The Labor Opposition voted against the Bill, which will deliver a nation-leading court-ordered rehabilitation program, which gives court a powerful new tool to deal with repeat youth offenders.
This new program is a key pillar in the Crisafulli Government's plan to make Queensland safer after the former Labor government's weak laws created a youth crime crisis and sent victim numbers skyrocketing.
The Youth Justice (Circuit Breaker) Amendment Bill 2026 will give courts the power to sentence youth to the program or order participation in the program as a condition of bail, as a genuine alternative to detention.
This ensures youth offenders are removed from the communities they have harmed while receiving the structure, discipline, education and intensive rehabilitation they need to prevent them from reoffending.
The program will be delivered in remote locations, in a highly controlled setting, for 60 youth offenders for up to 6 months.
Youth will participate in structured activities including 'hands-on' learning, for example in agricultural activities or livestock management, where they can gain practical knowledge, and the skills needed to help get them back on track.
Every participant will wear an electronic monitoring device to ensure strict compliance and the safety and security of the site and the community.
The program is expected to commence later this year.
The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer with stronger laws, more police, and new early intervention and rehabilitation programs to break the cycle of crime, with police data showing a 9.6 per cent decrease in victim numbers compared with Labor's last financial year.
This is in stark contrast to the former Labor government who spent a decade weakening laws while victim numbers exploded by 193 per cent and oversaw chronic failures in our youth detention centres, including capacity issues and no proper rehabilitation.
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said Queensland was once again leading the nation in rehabilitation with Circuit Breaker Sentencing passing Parliament today.
"The Crisafulli Government's Circuit Breaker Sentencing will be the last stop before detention, offering youth offenders one final chance to turn their lives around while gaining the practical life skills they need to get back on track," Minister Gerber said.
"It will give courts a powerful new tool to deal with repeat youth offenders by removing them from the community they have caused harm to and ordering them to Circuit Breaker Sentencing, an intensive rehabilitation program.
"Today, we saw the former Labor Government vote against Circuit Breaker Sentencing, because we know they don't support strong laws or rehabilitation programs that reduce crime and victim numbers.
"The Crisafulli Government will always deliver strong laws and programs that make Queensland safer and drive down crime and that's exactly what Circuit Breaker Sentencing will do.
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT: Christian Camuglia, 0477 671 926
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
