Striking youth justice and child safety workers will protest outside the Queensland Legislative Assembly this afternoon, as the government’s ‘breach bail, go to jail’ legislation is slated for passage tonight. The third and final day of the sitting week also included a condolence motion for former Bjelke-Petersen minister Vince Lester; a bill to change the approval process for financial assistance schemes had been introduced the previous night.
Premier David Crisafulli paid tribute to Lester, a National Party MP who served between 1974 and 2004 and died in August aged 87. Crisafulli described him as “one of the most colourful and interesting people to have ever been elected to this place”.
Lester campaigned to change building laws so toilet doors would swing outwards; Treasurer David Janetzki described him as the “minister for dunny doors”. Minister Ann Leahy said it was rumoured the people of Clermont kept electing him “to keep him away from baking”. He also championed reflectorised number plates and once walked backwards more than 20 kilometres to raise money for a local football club. Katter Party MP Shane Knuth told parliament Bob Katter said Lester “taught me everything I know”.
On legislation, Regional and Rural Development Minister Dale Last introduced a bill to change the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority. The bill, which Last said builds on work started by the former Labor government, would replace a lengthy regulation process for financial assistance schemes with a ministerial notice. “We are simply removing unnecessary administrative barriers,” Last said, saying the existing process could delay financial assistance, particularly disaster assistance.
The protest comes as bargaining between the government and workers in youth justice and child safety is now before the industrial umpire. The government’s bail laws are slated for passage at 9pm.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The new “breach bail, go to jail” laws represent a significant hardening of Queensland’s justice system and a key promise of the Crisafulli government.
- The protest highlights ongoing industrial tension in the youth justice and child safety sectors.
- The rural authority bill directly addresses long-standing complaints about bureaucratic delays in disaster recovery.
Background
The Crisafulli LNP government campaigned on a “tough on crime” platform, with the “breach bail, go to jail” policy as a centrepiece. The former Labor government had already begun work on reforming the Rural and Industry Development Authority to remove regulatory hurdles.
Key Perspectives
Dale Last: The regulatory changes are about speeding up disaster relief, not removing parliamentary oversight.
Youth justice and child safety workers: Currently in a bargaining dispute before the industrial umpire, leading to strike action and today’s protest.
David Crisafulli: Led a condolence motion praising Vince Lester as “one of the most colourful and interesting people” to serve in parliament.
What to Watch
- The passage of the bail laws, scheduled for 9pm tonight.
- The outcome of the industrial umpire’s intervention in the youth justice and child safety dispute.
- The legislative path of the Rural and Industry Development Authority Amendment Bill.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedStriking youth justice and child safety workers will protest outside the Queensland Legislative Assembly this afternoon.The Age - Latest News: “With ongoing bargaining between the government and workers in youth justice and child safety now before the industrial umpire, striking staff will protest outside the Legislative Assembly after lunch.”
- SupportedThe government’s ‘breach bail, go to jail’ laws are slated for passage tonight.The Age - Latest News: “Passage of the government’s controversial “breach bail, go to jail” laws is then slated for 9pm.”
- SupportedThe final sitting day included a condolence motion for former MP Vince Lester.The Age - Latest News: “First up will be a condolence motion for Vince Lester, a Bjelke-Petersen cabinet minister”
- SupportedA bill to change the approval process for financial assistance schemes was introduced the previous night.The Age - Latest News: “After we clocked off yesterday, Regional and Rural Development Minister Dale Last lobbed a new bill to make changes to the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority.”
- SupportedLester was a National Party MP from 1974 to 2004 and died in August aged 87.The Age - Latest News: “Lester served as the National Party MP across Central Queensland seats of Belyando, Peak Downs and Keppel between 1974 and 2004.”
- SupportedCrisafulli described Lester as “one of the most colourful and interesting people to have ever been elected to this place”.The Age - Latest News: ““I think it can be said that Mr Lester is one of the most colourful and interesting people to have ever been elected to this place,” Crisafulli said.”
- SupportedJanetzki described Lester as the “minister for dunny doors”.The Age - Latest News: “Treasurer David Janetzki described Lester as the “minister for dunny doors”.”
- SupportedLeahy said it was rumoured Clermont residents kept electing Lester to keep him away from baking.The Age - Latest News: ““He made his living as a baker … and rumour has it that the reason he kept getting elected was because the people of Clermont wanted to keep him away from baking, so they voted to send him to Brisbane.””
- SupportedLester campaigned for building-law changes so toilet doors would swing outwards, and walked backwards more than 20 kilometres to raise money for a local football club.The Age - Latest News: “Lester famously walked backwards more than 20 kilometres to raise money for a local football club. He also campaigned to change building laws so all toilet doors would open outwards”
- SupportedKnuth told parliament that Bob Katter said Lester “taught me everything I know”.The Age - Latest News: “Katter Party MP Shane Knuth told the parliament his party’s own founder thought highly of the former Queensland minister. “... and he said, ‘listen to Vince. He taught me everything I know’.””
- SupportedLast introduced a bill to change the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority, replacing the regulation process for financial assistance schemes with ministerial notice.The Age - Latest News: “The bill will replace this process with a ministerial notice for scheme approval”
- SupportedLast said the existing process could delay financial assistance, particularly disaster assistance, and said, “We are simply removing unnecessary administrative barriers”.The Age - Latest News: “delaying the delivery of financial assistance programs, which is particularly problematic when it comes to things like disaster assistance”