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Opposition Leader Steven Miles has delivered the strongest indication yet that Labor may again symbolically oppose a key government bill.
MPs are again debating the LNP’s controversial bill containing the latest iteration of its “adult crime, adult time” laws, an end to three-strike drug diversion and new police powers to stop “anti-social behaviour”.
The youth crime sentencing elements have been questioned by legal and community sector stakeholders, while the state’s peak health body has called the unwinding of the diversion program “dangerous and contrary to evidence”.
Others have raised concerns the new designated business and community precinct powers and banning notices given to police will be used to criminalise homelessness.
Miles has seized on this, saying the bill when looked at in its entirety was a “debate about health and health-based interventions”.
“Today, we are being asked to decide what kind of Queensland we want to be, a Queensland that invests in health care for our citizens, or a Queensland that cuts health services,” Miles said.
“To decide if we will be a Queensland that supports people through addiction and mental health challenges, or a Queensland that punishes them for it. One that listens to doctors, nurses and health experts, or one that ignores advice in favour of antiquated ideologies.
“We believe in laws that will work, that are evidence-based and grounded in expert advice. Laws that make communities safe – and this bill, in its current form, fails that test.”
Labor’s youth justice spokesperson Di Farmer has proposed amendments which would split the bill into two, the youth sentencing and police powers element, and the drug diversion element, to be reconsidered by parliamentary committees.
Such a motion, however, is unlikely to be supported by the government.
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