As Queensland gears up for its election, proposed policies addressing child offending have come under sharp criticism. 

National Children’s Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, have labelled the approaches as a “race to the bottom”.

Commissioner Hollonds says there is a clear need for evidence-based strategies to ensure community safety. 

“We all want to live in safe communities that support children to be healthy, safe and developing well. To achieve this, we need leaders of all political parties to show courage by acting on the evidence that locking up children does not keep the community safer,” she said.

Despite having the strictest youth crime laws in Australia, Queensland faces issues with overcrowded children’s prisons and police watchhouses, resulting in significant human rights violations. 

Hollonds argued that the current policies, which focus on punitive measures, fail to address underlying causes of youth crime. 

“Knee-jerk, punitive solutions by political parties which boast about being tough on crime are not only failing to deal with the root causes but are contributing to more crime - not less,” she said.

The financial cost of these policies is substantial, with over $1 million spent annually per incarcerated child. 

Hollonds proposed reallocating these funds towards initiatives that promote child health, education, and housing to create safer communities. 

She called for a collaborative reform across Australia, grounded in national and international evidence.

Commissioner Hollonds stressed the importance of prioritising child safety and wellbeing at the national level, comparing it to the emphasis placed on women's safety by the National Cabinet.

“If we were serious about addressing this national problem, then National Cabinet would make child safety and wellbeing a key priority, as it has done with other critical issues such as women’s safety,” she said.

Commissioner Kiss highlighted the disproportionate impact of these policies on First Nations children, who face increased racial profiling and negative stereotyping. 

“Governments need to make better decisions based on evidence that ensure First Nations children get the start they need in life so they can enjoy better life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity; and respects their right to self-determination,” she stated.

Kiss condemned the current 'tough on crime' approach for perpetuating cycles of abuse, deprivation, and disadvantage among First Nations communities. 

She called for accountability from governments to deliver on their commitments to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage, asserting that improving the lives of First Nations children would benefit both the children and their communities. 

“Improving the lives of First Nations children closes the gap, restores their dignity, gives them strong connection to kin and country, and hope for a better future. First Nations children benefit and the communities in which they live benefit too,” Kiss said.

Commissioner Hollonds will release a report detailing her proposed roadmap for reform in late August.