A local MP has said Cairns’ residents should be ‘optimistically cautious’, following the announcement that Jack’s Law will be made permanent and Queensland police will be able to use hand-held scanners to detect deadly weapons in all public places.
The law was first introduced in response to the stabbing death of 17-year-old Jack Beasley at Surfers Paradise in 2019.
Across Queensland, police have now scanned more than more 100,000 people, resulting in more than 4800 offences, which were mostly weapons and drug related. More than 1,058 weapons have also been taken off the streets.
The Crisafulli Government introduced amendments in Parliament to make Jack’s Law permanent, last week with member for Cook, David Kempton, said the changes would be significant for the people of Cairns.
It comes after a woman was assaulted by youth offenders in her Manunda home, while her husband was held at knife point.
“Cairns is probably one of the most impacted cities in the state in terms of youth crime. People living in fear, in houses with their windows locked, afraid to go out at night,” Mr Kempton said.
“They just can’t be held ransom by a very, very small cohort of serious and repeat offenders.”
In relation to the additional changes being made to the Adult Time, Adult Crime laws, Mr Kempton said it will take time to take effect and people still need to be cautious.
“They have every reason to be optimistically cautious…they have to remain vigilant about their own safety,” he said.
