Greens MP for Maiwar Michael Berkman will today face Parliament’s Community Support and Services Committee for a public briefing on his Bill to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 years old and transition 10-13 year olds out of prisons and watch-houses in Queensland.
Mr Berkman says “This Bill is also a crucial step towards reducing the over-incarceration of First Nations people, given Queensland currently has the greatest proportion of First Nations children under 14 held in detention of any Australian state.
Currently children as young as 10 years old can be held criminally responsible and face incarceration in Australia with the ACT being the only state that has passed legislation to raise the age to the UN’s recommended 14 years old earlier this year in August.