MP for Traeger Robbie Katter is happy the Queensland Government is taking action on youth crime, but says they have missed a golden opportunity to see larger change.
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On Wednesday July 1, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Farmer awarded $2.25 million for an On Country trial for Mount Isa which will allow young offenders to learn from their mistakes and contribute in a meaningful way to their community.
Although Mr Katter believes introducing relocation sentencing would have had a more positive impact than the On Country program.
"The Queensland Government have partially imitated the KAP relocation sentencing policy however they have missed a valuable opportunity to provide a comprehensive response to youth crime," Mr Katter said.
"The Mona Program is something that we have advocated for many years now however at the same time we recognise that there are other initiatives required.
"It can be a case of horses for courses and some kids who don't suit the bush area will at some point need to be offered other productive activities like fitness, work or many other skills that can keep a person active.
"I have personally visited the Mona Program in action with kids out of town learning skills on a cattle station and in this way it is very effective."
Mr Katter said getting kids away from the distractions of any city is a good starting point to engage.
"The difficulty becomes when kids have to go back into the community," he said.
"Relocation sentencing could easily accommodate the Mona Program and other initiatives in that it would provide an alternative sentencing option for magistrates and a facility that could be used for accommodation or simply processing in a remote area.
"This can then send kids to separate programs according to their character and behaviour."
Mr Katter said there still remained a gap for strengthening family units at home as well which means trying to get mum and dad into meaningful work.
"This is why I have weighted so heavily on issues like Blue Cards that are all too often a barrier to work.
"Whilst I am pleased that the Mona Project after some seven or eight years of trying have finally got funding, I want people to know that this does let the government off the hook for resolving youth crime issues in the North West.
"It is far from it and people living out here deserve the right policy that can deal with these kids effectively while at the same time trying to get them back into the community as contributors."
However Queensland Attorney General Yvette D'Ath does not agree.
Ms D'Ath said relocation sentencing has been tried in the past and hasn't worked.
"Every community I go to I have magistrates tell me that if we work with the families that have youth crime we can achieve positive results," Ms D'Ath said.
"You can't just send people away and think that it's going to solve all of your problems.
"The fact is people are always moving, you can't just shift the problem, you need to fix the problem."
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