A passionate anti-crime group is blasting the Premier's new youth justice reforms, accusing her of being more interested in party politics than listening to the community.
Townsville's One Community One Standard founder Jeff Adams says the bail law changes, announced yesterday, reek of a "soft on crime" attitude.
"Not enough, no where near enough, and it's not bipartisan," Mr Adams says.
"We still continue to play party politics, when are we going to stop the bullsh*t? When are we going to listen to the people? When are we going to get some fair dinkum stuff happening?"
Under the plan, repeat juvenile offenders charged with serious offences will be denied a presumption of bail, and parents will be required to vouch for their children as part of bail conditions.
But Mr Adams says tougher sentencing and curfews are needed.
"For the last six years, we've told these kids 'do whatever you want, whenever you like, it'll be right, we'll get you off'''.
In September, politicians and community groups attended a forum in Townsville, searching for answers to break the cycle of youth crime.
Eleven recommendations were made, Mr Adams says, and after yesterday's announcements, it's clear they've fallen on deaf ears.
He is calling for an urgent meeting where government workers from across the entire state and different sectors, business leaders and community groups can speak freely.
Or, at the very least, an anonymous survey so frontline workers can be honest about what is really going on.
"We talk to police, they can't comment. We talk to the army who have funds to spend on this, they're unable to comment. You talk to youth justice, they're unable to comment.
"Because we won't get anywhere until we hear the truth from the frontline, but they are prohibited from speaking."
Mr Adams says a united approach is needed, not more divisive legislation.
"The community is extremely volatile and it's no wonder.
"These kids have been left to rule and just run a muck, and it's dividing our community."
LISTEN: One Community One Standard founder Jeff Adams says the State Government's youth justice reforms will do nothing to stop the systemic failures putting lives at risk.
Breach of bail
The changes have also sparked heated debate among politicians about reintroducing breach of bail as an offence.
Shadow Police Minister and Burdekin MP Dale Last says breach of bail needs to classed as an offence within itself.
"Whilst you have juvenile offenders out there on bail committing further offences with relative impunity then you are never going to bring this problem under control."
But ALP MP for Thuringowa Aaron Harper says it hasn't been an effective measure in the past.
"Some of the evidence I saw was that 90 per cent just reoffended anyway.
"By reversing the presumption of bail, that tackles the issue of addressing a breach of bail - these people actually have to give a reason why they should get bail in the first place."
