Sisters Inside categorically opposes the expansion of the Queensland Government’s ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ laws, which will further entrench the criminalisation of Queensland’s children—particularly Aboriginal children.
‘Since the LNP first introduced this draconian and outrageously dangerous legislation, we have spoken out against its inherent injustice, and we do so again today,’ said Debbie Kilroy, CEO of Sisters Inside.
‘Premier, David Crisafulli’s expansion of ‘Adult Crime, Adult Time’ to 33 offences is not about community safety—it is a cynical and calculated net-widening exercise that targets the most disadvantaged children in Queensland,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘This move is designed to erase any legal recognition of ‘youth crime’ as a distinct category, treating children as adults with no regard for their developmental needs, circumstances, or life experiences,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘The reality is that the vast majority of children ensnared in this system are not, as Crisafulli likes to call them, ‘dangerous repeat offenders’ or so called ‘criminal untouchables’; they are victims—victims of racial capitalism, neoliberal austerity, and a government that refuses to invest in the social supports that actually prevent harm,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘Many of these children are survivors of violence, neglect, racism and poverty, yet rather than addressing the root causes of harm, the Queensland Government is determined to subject them to harsher punishments and state sanctioned violence,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Premier Crisafulli claims that these expanded laws ‘put victims first’—but what of the children who are victims themselves? What of the Aboriginal children who are disproportionately targeted by these laws, despite the well-documented reality that these kids are over-policed, over- criminalised, and incarcerated at rates that should be considered a national disgrace?’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘And where is the consideration for girls in all of this? There is no targeted strategy to support girls, no recognition of their specific needs, no understanding of the compounded gendered violence they endure at the hands of the state,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘Girls—especially Aboriginal girls—will be disproportionately impacted by these laws, funnelled into the system, subjected to institutional abuse, and left with no pathway to justice or safety,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘Where are the feminists across this country? Where is their outrage when girls and young women are being targeted by the state, criminalised, and systemically violated? The silence is deafening, and it is complicity,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
‘The Queensland Government cannot continue to ignore the fact that this punitive approach will only cause more harm. Evidence from around the world shows that treating children as adults in the criminal legal system increases recriminalisation and perpetuates cycles of violence and disadvantage,’ said Debbie Kilroy. ‘These policies are not about public safety—they are about political expediency, fearmongering, and the continued criminalisation of Aboriginal children,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
Sisters Inside calls for an immediate reversal of this expansion and a genuine commitment to policies that actually keep communities safe—policies that prioritise housing, education, healthcare, and community-based support over incarceration. Programs that support children in their communities so we are all safe.
‘The Queensland Government cannot claim to care about community safety while pushing through laws that sentence children to adult punishment, ignoring the real harms they experience and the systemic injustices that place them at risk in the first place,’ said Debbie Kilroy.
For further comment, please contact Debbie Kilroy on 0419 762 474