Queensland Police have revealed that more than half of the 18 people arrested for deliberately lighting fires amidst the state’s bushfire crisis are children.
The announcement has split the state’s two major parties; LNP leader Deb Frecklington says the juvenile offenders should be prosecuted, while State Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath says that youth detention is not the answer.
Ms D’Ath says that despite the jump in arson-related offences, the state’s reintroduced Fight Fire Fascination project had already seen young offenders meet their victims face to face.