28/4/2025 Unacceptable - Premier’s Backflip on Youth Justice Position

The Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service today called out the Premier’s comments regarding “Adult Crime - Adult Time” laws as unacceptable.

“These comments are a knee-jerk reaction by Premier Jeremy Rockliff in relation to incidents of crime in Glenorchy,” TALS CEO Jake Smith said.

“We totally recognise that community safety is vital - everyone deserves to feel safe. However, ‘Adult Crime - Adult Time’ approach to youth crime is not an effective solution. Both overwhelming data and research show that locking up kids leads to more crime, not less.”

Mr Smith said if the State Government wants to achieve real, long-term outcomes, it must invest in early intervention and prevention strategies. “This so-called solution to youth crime will result in increased community safety issues and increased detention and prison costs to taxpayers in the future.”

Earlier this month the Tasmanian Government opened community consultation on the development of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy, a key component of the Youth Justice Blueprint 2024-2034.

“We support the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to consultation on the Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy, particularly given the significant over-representation of Aboriginal youth in the justice system,” Mr Smith said.

“However, we are now very concerned - one week the Government is consulting on early intervention, diversion and strategies that treat detention as a last resort, and this includes raising the age of criminal responsibility”.

“In the next week, the Government is considering laws to further lock up children and increase the likelihood of future offending. These two are vastly opposing positions on youth justice. What is the Premier’s actual position on youth justice”?

“What is the true objective of the Rockliff Government when it comes to youth justice and meaningful reform.”

Media contact: A. Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732