The following story appeared in the Courier Mail, 11 May 2009

QUEENSLAND police have been ordered to crack down on young Pacific Islanders gathering at the family friendly South Bank Parklands.

A police briefing note obtained by The Courier-Mail states Oxley District police and Pacific Islander elders are discussing "alternative activities" for the youths away from the parklands.

Police denied the young Pacific Islanders posed any specific threat to public safety but said it was not unusual for police to target any large gathering of young people, regardless of race.

But Samoan Advisory Council of Queensland spokesman Jeff Reupena said it seemed unfair to try to break up the gatherings if they were not causing any problems.

"We don't deny the constitutional rights of youth to be at the place where they want to be," Mr Reupena said.

"If their behaviour is causing a disturbance to the public and other citizens, then it's our responsibility as a community to work together with the police to do something about it.

"But the assumption that 'Oh my God there's a lot of youth, there might be a problem', that's an unproductive way of thinking."

Mr Reupena said the council had participated in meetings with police this year when concerns were raised about youth-related violence in the CBD.

"But it seems they are trying to restrict the boundaries in which young members of our community can socialise," Mr Reupena said.

The South Bank Corporation said it was unaware of the police initiative to move on Pacific Island youth, but corporate affairs manager Susie Johnson said the corporation was very security conscious.

"South Bank is obviously a state government-owned asset which is highly prized and recognised as Brisbane's most celebrated destination," she said.

"It's a big public space and, as you know, with any big open space there's a tendency for perpetrators of crime and bad behaviour to hang out and loiter in these types of spaces."

Since opening in 1992, the parklands has had an extensive network of CCTV cameras.

It also has its own police station staffed by 11 full-time officers. The 91 CCTV cameras are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are able to track visitors from the moment they arrive until they leave the parklands.

About 10 million people visit South Bank each year and on key dates - such as Australia Day, New Year's Eve and Riverfire - up to 200 police are rostered at the parklands.

Other security initiatives under way include a full "crime prevention through environmental design" audit and police lectures for TAFE students and cyclists on property and personal safety.

Despite the intense focus on security, crime statistics show South Bank is relatively free of serious incidents - just 31 were recorded in the past year, seven of which were unsubstantiated.

In comparison, 56 CCTV cameras in Brisbane's CBD and the Valley recorded 3000 violent and illegal incidents in the four months from July to October.