LNP says 'a long way to go to reverse' Queensland's youth crime crisis

Queensland dance teacher Tara Howard's studio was allegedly set alight by teenagers in 2023.

"I couldn't really fathom what was happening at that time, except I was just watching it burn," she said.

Her story spread from local newspapers to national breakfast television as youth crime became a prominent issue in the lead-up to the 2024 state election.

During a televised leaders' debate, David Crisafulli said he would quit within four years if he became premier and could not reduce the number of victims of crime in the state.

On the eve of election day, the now premier added a qualifier that it would be "per capita".

Since his LNP party came into power almost two years ago, state parliament has passed three tranches of the contentious adult crime, adult time policy which sees juveniles charged with serious offences face tougher maximum sentences.

After an investigation into the fire at Ms Howard's Townsville dance studio, police laid charges against two 15-year-old boys, and both were dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.

At the time, authorities alleged a wheelie bin was set on fire outside the building in the early hours of the morning.

Ms Howard spent six months rebuilding her studio with help from community fundraising.

Shortly after getting back into her building, she made the difficult decision to sell it.

"I knew I wasn't able to give the families and the students what I could give them before the event," Ms Howard said.

"I couldn't keep going. Emotionally, it was too raw."

Crime rate at 20-year high

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed the number of victims of crime in the state fell by around 4 per cent over 12 months in 2025.

About 12,000 fewer victims were recorded in 2025 than in the previous year.

Bond University criminologist Terry Goldsworthy is not convinced those numbers are a result of adult crime, adult time laws.

He said victim numbers and youth offending had started to fall in the Labor government's last year.

Dr Goldsworthy said he put the reduction down to better targeting by police, tougher bail laws and a focus on serious repeat offenders.

"I think youth crime will continue to go down because of those factors," he said.

The government has also been promoting an almost 10 per cent decrease by comparing police statistics from financial year 2023-24 to financial year 2025-26.

"We've seen some smoke and mirrors being used by the government," Dr Goldsworthy said.

"They're very big on trotting out some kind of slogans to show that they're getting tough on crime."

More than 7,000 juveniles have been charged with over 34,100 offences under the state government's adult crime, adult time laws as of October 10.

Dr Goldsworthy said crime remained "very problematic" in Queensland, with the overall crime rate still at a 20-year high.

"Victims of crime are still quite fearful," he said.

'Constant survival mode'

Brisbane resident Sarah Sullivan's family moved rentals this year after experiencing at least four alleged attempted break-ins more than three months.

"It was just that constant being in survival mode," she said.

In June, two boys aged 15 and 17 were charged with attempted enter dwelling with intent at night and face masked with intent to commit indictable offence.

On that occasion, Ms Sullivan said they chased them out of their yard.

Responding officers located and arrested the teenagers.

The 17-year-old was due to be sentenced last Friday, and the 15-year-old boy received 12 months' probation.

"I was just struck by how young they were," she said.

Ms Sullivan's family of four moved from Sydney, where no-one had ever tried to break in, about two years ago.

"For the first year, we didn't have any cameras or surveillance, so there could have been things happening," she said.

"It was a shock coming to Brisbane."

Calls to 'stop crime' in 2019

Frustrations over crime had been building on Brisbane's south in 2019.

Hundreds of residents in Sunnybank took to the streets with signs saying, "we are scared" and "stronger laws" after a doctor was shot in the garage of his MacGregor home.

A 17-year-old boy, who admitted to shooting Luping Zengwas, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for his murder in 2021.

Sunnybank Chamber of Commerce president Peter Zhuang, who attended the rally, said safety was a "big concern" for many in the community.

"We [wanted] to have a demonstration to push government," he said.

Mr Zhuang said police presence around the area was higher for a few months, but it gradually decreased over time.

He said he felt safer under the LNP government, with crime such as break-ins not being a topic of discussion in the chamber's meetings and social media group chats.

"Generally speaking, some crime cases people mention around me [are] very rare," he said.

"Only see some tobacco shop, they break in, grab some tobacco … that's another story."

He said that, based on state police crime data, the situation still was not ideal, with no "big" changes over the years.

Mr Zhuang encouraged the premier to "keep going" with stricter laws and more police to reduce crime.

'Very long way to go'

Ms Howard, who now teaches dance at early learning centres, said she would not feel safe opening another business in Townsville.

She's noticed small changes since the new government, such as a more police on the streets.

"I do feel that little bit safer in the community, but I still think we have a very, very long way to go."

Youth Justice and Victim Support Minister Laura Gerber is one of the four ministers charged with reducing victim of crime numbers in Queensland.

Ms Gerber said there was "a long way to go to reverse" the youth crime crisis and the generation of serious repeat offenders.

She said that the LNP government was continuing to deliver stronger crime laws, including expanding adult crime, adult time, and the breach bail, go to jail policy.

"We promised to make Queensland safer, and we'll continue building on the real progress we've been making with Daniel's Law, Jack's Law, a record number of police on the beat, more support for victims, and effective early intervention and rehabilitation to help restore safety."