Minister for Police and Corrective Services Mark Ryan has admitted to Parliament that he wrongly claimed young offenders held in police watch houses were receiving educational support.
In response to an LNP question on February 28, the Minister said young offenders in Brisbane watch houses were visited by a teacher each day and received educational packs.
This morning he told Parliament that offenders had only been receiving educational support from March 21 – three weeks after his statement to MPs.
LNP Shadow Police and Corrective Services Minister Trevor Watts said the Minister’s climbdown was more proof of his incompetence.
“It’s clear that Mark Ryan has no idea what is happening in his portfolio,” Mr Watts said.
“Youth crime is out of control under the Palaszczuk Labor Government and our youth justice system is in crisis.
“Labor decided to put young offenders in police watch houses, but they didn’t have a workable plan to implement their reform.
“The system is chaotic and it’s only because of the LNP’s intervention that young offenders are now getting educational support while in detention.”