In short:
Two years ago, David Crisafulli said he would quit if he failed to reduce the number of victims of crime as Queensland premier.
asserted
he → say → premier
Since then, the LNP has pushed through three tranches of the contentious adult crime, adult time policy.
asserted
LNP → push → policy
Despite ABS data showing the number of victims of crime fell by around 4 per cent in 2025, experts warn the overall crime rate is still at a 20-year high.
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.
uncertain
she → show → time
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.
asserted
crime → spread → 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.
uncertain
he → televise → state
On the eve of election day, the now premier added a qualifier that it would be "per capita".
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it → add → 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.
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juveniles → come → 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.
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both → lay → Act
At the time, authorities alleged a wheelie bin was set on fire outside the building in the early hours of the morning.
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bin → allege → morning
Ms Howard spent six months rebuilding her studio with help from community fundraising.
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Howard → spend → 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.
uncertain
Howard → get → event
"I couldn't keep going.
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I → keep → ?
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.
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number → show → 2025
About 12,000 fewer victims were recorded in 2025 than in the previous year.
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victims → record → year
Bond University criminologist Terry Goldsworthy is not convinced those numbers are a result of adult crime, adult time laws.
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numbers → convince → crime
He said victim numbers and youth offending had started to fall in the Labor government's last year.
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numbers → say → year
Dr Goldsworthy said he put the reduction down to better targeting by police, tougher bail laws and a focus on serious repeat offenders.
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he → say → offenders
"I think youth crime will continue to go down because of those factors," he said.
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he → think → factors
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.
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government → promote → year
"We've seen some smoke and mirrors being used by the government," Dr Goldsworthy said.
"
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Goldsworthy → see → government
They're very big on trotting out some kind of slogans to show that they're getting tough on crime.
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they → trot → 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.
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juveniles → charge → October
Dr Goldsworthy said crime remained "very problematic" in Queensland, with the overall crime rate still at a 20-year high.
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rate → say → high
"Victims of crime are still quite fearful," he said.
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he → say → crime
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.
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she → move → mode
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.
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boys → charge → offence
On that occasion, Ms Sullivan said they chased them out of their yard.
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they → say → yard
Responding officers located and arrested the teenagers.
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officers → respond → teenagers
The 17-year-old was due to be sentenced last Friday, and the 15-year-old boy received 12 months' probation.
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boy → sentence → probation
"I was just struck by how young they were," she said.
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she → strike → ?
Ms Sullivan's family of four moved from Sydney, where no-one had ever tried to break in, about two years ago.
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one → move → Sydney
"For the first year, we didn't have any cameras or surveillance, so there could have been things happening," she said.
uncertain
she → have → cameras
"It was a shock coming to Brisbane.
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It → come → Brisbane
"
Calls to 'stop crime' in 2019
Frustrations over crime had been building on Brisbane's south in 2019.
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Frustrations → stop → 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.
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doctor → take → 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.
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safety → admit → community
"We [wanted] to have a demonstration to push government," he said.
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he → want → government
Mr Zhuang said police presence around the area was higher for a few months, but it gradually decreased over time.
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it → say → 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.
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crime → say → meetings
"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."
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that → speak → tobacco
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia