Far North key focus for new Youth Crime Taskforce

WITH concerning statistics of youth crime increasing in Cairns and the Far North, Queensland Police Services (QPS) have launched a Youth Crime Taskforce to tackle the issue head-on.

Police Minister Mark Ryan and Youth Crime Taskforce Commander George Marchesini were in Cairns this week, discussing the role of the new QPS Youth Crime Taskforce in the Far North.

The Queensland Police Service’s Youth Crime Taskforce will continue to build on the case management approach of serious repeat youth offenders, strengthening the collaboration of government departments and support agencies to break the cycle of reoffending.

Taskforce Commander and Acting Assistant Commissioner George Marchesini said through his role in the taskforce they would aim to reinforce programs and initiatives to prevent youth crime in the region.

“As part of my role leading the Youth Crime Taskforce, I’ll be travelling the state and speaking with local community representatives to get a full picture of the end-to-end youth justice system,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Marchesini said.

“I know there are some highly effective programs underway in Cairns, but I also know there are opportunities to strengthen the collaboration of efforts across the board to get better outcomes for young people and the community.

“We will be looking at engagement and diversionary programs, the multi-agency local panels for serious repeat offenders and prevention initiatives to target disengaged youth before they reach the justice system.”

Queensland Police are employing several strategies to proactively prevent and disrupt criminal activities in the Far North, including walking through shopping precincts, engaging with business operators and patrolling residential areas.

The operation involves extra patrols of hotspot areas, focusing on engagement with young people and bail compliance checks.

In conjunction with a range of targeted youth engagement and diversionary programs, new drone technology and a trial of engine immobilisers to prevent car thefts are some initiatives being rolled out in Cairns and parts of Far North Queensland.

As recently announced, Cairns will soon host one of two new military-grade drones, with the advanced Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70 drones joining the Far North Queensland aerial fleet.

Minister Ryan said the State Government were launching a range of solid and innovative initiatives to strengthen the response to youth crime.

“We have seen through Operation Theta very encouraging results from local police in terms of targeting our high-risk youth offenders in the Far North and ensuring bail compliance,” he said.

“We are seeing more young people held on remand for longer after we reversed the presumption against bail – this means young people can’t offend when they’re in custody, and the community is given reprieve.”

To help prevent car theft, the State Government has announced $10 million will be provided to support a trial of engine immobilisers in Cairns, Mt Isa and Townsville.

Most young people who come into contact with the youth justice system never offend again. However, the new laws outlined by the Premier in December target the 10 per cent of serious repeat offenders.

Since December 19, the high visibility policing operation (Operation Theta) has resulted in the arrest of 66 juveniles and 198 adults and resulted in more than 530 charges. To date, police have conducted more than 1,195 street checks in the Far North and dedicated more than 800 additional policing hours as part of the high visibility patrols.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the new task force was a key step toward reinforcing safety in the region.

“The police do an extraordinary job keeping residents in Cairns and the Far North safe every day, and this is just an extension of that work,” Mr Healy said.

“I know these extra police patrols have not gone unnoticed by the Cairns community, with these frontline officers highly visible in and around our most popular precincts.”

FNQ Traditional Owners receive title to 42 hectares

TRADITIONAL owners in Far North Queensland will have their culture and traditions preserved for generations after a special land handover ceremony on February 10.

The Gulngay (Gool-nay) People were handed title deeds to more than 42 hectares of land around Tully and Hull Heads in Far North Queensland.

Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said the ceremony recognised the deep and ancient connection the Gulngay People share with their Country.

“It marks a significant milestone in their journey and gives them the ability to manage the environmental and cultural values of the land for present and future generations,” Mr Stewart said.

“As the land can never be sold, it will be held in trust for future generations so the Gulngay People can strengthen their connection to their traditional lands, stories, lore and culture.”

The Kinjun family, to which the traditional owners belong, are the only remaining descendants of the Gulngay People.

Gulngay Kinjufile Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC board member Clarence Kinjun said he was proud to accept the deeds on behalf of his family.

“The handover of the additional seven parcels means we can continue to give our young people a place to go to learn about their culture on Country,” Mr Kinjun said.

“We can share our stories and teach our youth the traditional methods of looking after the land, hunting, fishing and caring for the plants and animals.”

The land handover is in addition to more than 70 hectares returned to the Gulngay People in 2021 and follows on from their 2019 Native Title determination.

Over the past three decades, more than six and a half million hectares of land have been returned to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Queensland.

Council is joining forces with local rehoming organisations to find loving FUREVER homes for rescue cats.

Donations support FNQ’s youth

ALMOST $3000 in donations collected during Council’s two most recent free green waste disposal periods will assist disadvantaged Far North Queensland young people in their education, sporting and cultural activities.

On February 9, Cairns Mayor Bob Manning presented $2,956.70 to FNQ Youth Assistance Fund.

“We are very pleased to be able to make this donation on behalf of residents to this organisation, which provides financial assistance to young people so they can pursue their dreams,” Cr Manning said.

“Financial constraints can often be a hindrance, which is where the FNQ Youth Assistance fund plays such an important role in the community.

“The fund is now approaching $4 million in assistance over its 50-year life to thousands of young people from the region, helping them achieve higher education, represent the region in their sports endeavours, and advance their cultural ambitions.”

FNQ Youth Assistance Fund president Ricard Ireland said the fund was very appreciative of this support given by Cairns Regional Council.

“In the last week of January, we provided a further $86,000 in scholarships and assistance at our annual tertiary education event,” Mr Ireland said.

“Donations such as the green waste program add to our capacity to assist the region’s youth in their academic endeavours.

“Our website at www.fnqyaf.org.au, provides information on how donors can assist us in our work and how youth can apply for support.”

Voluntary donations were collected at the gate of each of Cairns Regional Council’s waste transfer stations during the free green waste drop-offs in August and November 2022.