- The Crisafulli Government has passed new laws to expand landmark Adult Crime, Adult Time and make Queensland safer.
- Significant drug reform and new Designated Business and Community Precincts delivered to crackdown on antisocial behaviour that exploded during Labor’s decade of decline.
- The Crisafulli Government’s stronger laws, more police, early intervention and rehabilitation is starting to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis, delivering a 7.2 per cent drop in the number of victims of crime in 2025.
The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer and turning the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis with the Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time and Taking a Strong Stance on Drugs and Antisocial Behaviour Bill 2026 passing in Parliament today.
The landmark legislation strengthens Queensland’s response to youth crime, drugs, and antisocial behaviour through three key measures:
- Expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to include 12 additional offences including aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm.
- New powers for police to ban offenders and move on troublemakers in Maryborough, Mackay, Cairns and Townsville CBDs and Designated Business and Community Precincts, to protect small businesses, workers and families from the antisocial behaviour.
- Stronger drug laws with new Illicit Drug Enforcement and Diversion Framework, so offenders face real consequences while first-time, low-risk offenders are supported with health-based intervention.
Labor’s weak drug laws allowed offenders caught with dangerous drugs like ice and heroin to receive multiple warnings and diversions without consequences.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a fresh start for Queensland, with almost 4,700 youths charged with more than 22,800 offences under Adult Crime, Adult Time laws.
The number of victims of crime fell by 7.2 per cent in the first year of Adult Crime, Adult Time – a significant step towards restoring safety after victim numbers skyrocketed by 193 per cent under the former Labor Government.
The 12 new offences for Adult Crime, Adult Time include:
- Aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm
- Conspiring to murder
- Unlawful stalking, intimidation, harassment or abuse
- Riot
- Abuse of persons with an impairment of the mind
- Indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16
- Choking, suffocation, or strangulation in a domestic setting
- Disabling in order to commit indictable offence
- Stupefying in order to commit indictable offence
- Endangering the safety of a person in a vehicle with intent
- Aiding suicide
- Administering poison with intent to harm
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said stronger laws were another critical step in restoring safety where you live.
“We promised Queenslanders we would give our police the laws and resources they need to turn the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis after a decade of inaction, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” Minister Purdie said.
“Labor’s weak crime laws created a Youth Crime Crisis, but with stronger laws and more police we are restoring safety where you live.
“These stronger laws are already making a difference, with a 7.2 per cent drop in the number of victims of crime in 2025, but we know there is still a long way to go to arrest Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.”
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time was another step towards fewer victims of crime and turning the tide on Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.
“We promised we would continue to strengthen our youth crime laws not weaken them like Labor, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Minister Gerber said.
“Shockingly, Labor has voted against Adult Crime, Adult Time and wants to raise the criminal age of responsibility and remove minimum mandatories for crimes like murder.
“Queenslanders overwhelmingly called for strong laws to fight Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis and restore consequences for actions and the Crisafulli Government is delivering exactly what we promised to reduce victim numbers.
“Youth offenders are not only facing serious consequences for their actions under Adult Crime, Adult Time, they are also receiving 12-months of rehabilitation exiting detention to break the cycle of crime and reduce reoffending.”
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