The following response firstly considers the four key platforms or statements made in the Foreword of the 2013 Queensland Youth Strategy and reiterated throughout the strategy and then each of its 6 “areas of connection” in terms of:

• Whether each area reflects key concerns for young people and for the youth sector
  
• The relevance of the attached action plan in addressing each area, and
  
• What is missing.
  

This analysis clearly demonstrates that the Queensland Government, acting without any consultation with young people (especially those from marginalised groups) or with youth sector representatives, have developed a weak, under-resourced, inconsistent framework which is unlikely to benefit those young Queenslanders who most need services and supports.

Click here to download the response.

In December 2012, the Queensland Government amended the Youth Justice Act to remove the option of youth justice conferencing and instead giving the magistrates the option of Boot Camp orders. YANQ is opposed to the boot camp model.

Download YANQ's Submission here (390.65 Kb)

Young people should be able to trust in the protection of adults.Young people have a right to trust that adults will fulfil their responsibility to provide opportunities for them - opportunities to learn, to play, to make decisions for themselves, take risks, to have fun and to participate in community decision making, among others.

Queensland's Police Move-on powers are in breach of that trust.

Other Submissions

• Megan McKay & Dr Phil Crane (QUT)
• Legal Aid Queensland
• Check the Crime & Misconduct Commission's website - they often publish submissions they receive in relation to their Reviews.

When police officers use Move-on powers, whether 'legally' or as an excuse to harass or abuse young people, they send a message to young people that their community doesn't want them and doesn't value them. Not only does this risk causing serious harm to vulnerable young people, but it risks community safety.

In this submission to the Crime and Misconduct Commission, the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland makes the opposition of youth services to Police Move-on Powers in Queensland clear.

We argue that instead of punitive responses to fears of youth violence, communities need to invest in services that make it possible for young people to participate safely in all aspects of community life.

The notion of remanding a person (let alone a juvenile) into custody is an extremely serious issue. Our entire criminal justice system, inclusive of the juvenile system, works on the premise that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Yet increasingly, we are seeing young people held in juvenile prisons due to social, economic, cultural and political factors, and not necessarily legal factors.

  On October 19, 2007 YANQ submitted its response to the Review of the Juvenile Justice Act 1992.

• Cover Letter to YANQ's Submission ( 20.25 Kb).
• Full Submission ( 309.92 Kb). 

This document is YANQ's response to the Office of Fair Trading's consultation paper on the review of the Security Providers Act (1993).

Download the submission:   sbmssn_-_security_providers_act_0305 284.54 Kb

Tis submission was made on October 28, 2005 by YANQ to the Brisbane City Council, opposing their application to grant move-on powers to Police in King George Square, Kurilpa Point and New Farm Park.

 Submission to BCC Opposing Move on Powers 238.65 Kb

P.S. June 2006.  The State Government has since passed legislation giving move-on powers to police in all public spaces in Queensland

Re the review of ASIOS's special powers relating to terrorims offences as contained in Division 3 Part 111 of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979

 yanqs_asio_submission_05-1 25.26 Kb