The LNP will bring the world’s best early intervention models to Queensland and deliver a major boost for investment into early intervention, with its new Gold Standard Early Intervention policy, announced today (Monday).
The policy, which forms part of the LNP’s Making Our Community Safer plan, will invest $50 million to kick-start new early intervention programs, while an additional $50 million will fund growth of proven ongoing community-led programs already delivering success.
The funding will provide a pathway to bring the best-in-class ideas from across Australia and around the world, with stable funding on offer for programs successfully reducing crime, to restore safety where you live.
Gold Standard Early Intervention programs will work with young people demonstrating early signs of criminal behaviour, providing holistic intervention to put them back on the right path.
The Auditor-General has exposed Labor’s early intervention approach as ineffective with no measures for success. The LNP will require Youth Justice to regularly monitor and report on the system’s performance with key performance indicators for programs receiving government money.
Under the LNP, Early Intervention programs must deliver on KPIs of reducing crime, boosting education or training and leading to full-time employment, including:
LNP Leader David Crisafulli said the LNP’s Gold Standard Early Intervention would be the catalyst for change in young lives and help arrest Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.
“The LNP’s Gold Standard Early Intervention policy will deliver world-class early intervention as the circuit-breaker needed in young lives to stop them turning to crime,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“By getting in early with programs that are proven and evidence based we can halt the pipeline of young people veering off the rails.
“Actions don’t occur in a vacuum and early intervention is an opportunity to teach kids every action has a consequence, while simultaneously providing guidance, connection and discipline to get them back on track.
“Under the LNP, early intervention will be outcomes focused and transparent, with every program measured regularly for success.
“The LNP will invest in best-in-class programs, seeking out the best evidence based programs and bringing them here to Queensland, to end Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.
“The kick-starter fund will pilot new programs, and if successful, they’ll be supported with the funding on an ongoing basis.”
Shadow Minister for Youth Justice Laura Gerber said the LNP’s Gold Standard Early Intervention was not only about societal stability, it was also about stability for the lives of the youth in these programs and the workers providing critical support.
“The LNP’s commitment will deliver a regional focus, ensuring every region has a program that meets the local needs of their community,” Ms Gerber said.
“After a decade of rising numbers of serious repeat offenders, it’s clear early intervention hasn’t worked and must change.
“It was weakening crime laws, fewer police and a failure to deliver Gold Standard Early Intervention that created Labor’s Youth Crime Crisis.
“The LNP will make our community safer by acting early with evidence based youth programs to end the slide into crime.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan for Queensland’s Future, including Gold Standard Early Intervention to restore safety where you live.”