New laws aimed at enhancing community safety in Queensland, including tougher penalties and greater police powers, have taken effect today.
Those reforms include the expansion of Jack's Law.
Under the legislative changes, police will be authorised to conduct wanding operations at a much broader range of venues, including retail precincts, licensed premises, sporting venues and along public transport routes.
The Governor's assent also means that a new law, known as Susan's Law, comes into immediate effect.
Under Susan's Law, a person who evades police and then goes on to cause the death of another road user faces a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment.
In addition, a person who leaves the scene of a crash that resulted in another person's death will also face up to 20 years imprisonment.
Also coming into immediate effect, a new stand-alone offence for offenders caught boasting their crimes online to glorify conduct, or increase one's reputation.
The new penalty carries a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment.
And there are now more offences captured by aggravating factor of social media boasting.
This includes offences involving:
- driving or operating a vehicle;
- violence or a threat of violence;
- taking, damaging, destroying, removing, using, interfering with or entering property;
- a weapon.
These laws will prohibit offenders and associated persons posting their offending behaviour online to promote and glorify the offence and evoke fear in the community.
The Queensland Community Safety Bill 2024 offence does not capture community members who share offending behaviour for the purpose of warning others in the community, or journalists.
From today new laws also come into effect to protect police officers and emergency services vehicles.
A new stand-alone offence has been legislated which means that a person who operates a vehicle in a way that threatens the safety of a police officer faces up to 14 years in prison.
In addition, a new stand-alone offence has come into effect targeting those people who ram an emergency services vehicle, with a penalty of up 14 years in prison.
As stated by Police Minister Mark Ryan:
"The Queensland Community Safety Bill is a comprehensive reform package that contains many elements with one aim in mind; to support the safety of Queenslanders.
"In particular, I welcome today's expansion of Jack's Law, a nation-leading initiative that we know saves lives.
"And the introduction of Susan's Law is also particularly significant, and is named in honour of Claudine Snow's mother.
"Claudine Snow has been instrumental in the establishment of this new law which targets those who evade police and drive recklessly to cause the death of another.
"There are numerous other reforms and initiatives, but importantly every element of the Queensland Community Safety Bill is aimed at that most important goal of supporting community safety."
