New laws to deny bail to repeat youth offenders considered a danger to the community have been passed in the Queensland Parliament.
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The Palaszczuk Government's legislation will strengthen the law and ensure high-risk, repeat youth offenders who are an unacceptable risk are not granted bail.
Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer the changes will mean if a young person is judged an unacceptable risk to the safety of the community, they must be refused bail.
"It's a significant change aimed squarely at repeat and prolific young offenders," Ms Farmer said.
"I am making it crystal clear; community safety always comes first."
She said the amendments simplify and strengthen the law, removing the word 'may' and replacing it with 'must' keep a child in custody if the young person is an unacceptable risk to the safety or welfare of a person, or if there is an unacceptable risk to community safety.
"It's a small, hardcore group of repeat young offenders that are responsible for 44 per cent of all youth crime," she said.
"They cause grief in the community and I make no apology for making them the target of new denial-of-bail legislation.
The move follows a trail of culture-based rehabilitation through new initiatives in Townsville, Cairns and Mount Isa with new 'On Country' programs beginning next month.
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