Going up: Latest stats reveal Queensland crime wave cracked 600,000 offences last year year
Queensland Police data paints a dire picture of the state’s crime outlook with a monthly average of 50,000 offences committed in 2023.
An image taken from video shows Queensland Police officers arresting a man after he allegedly fled the scene of a crash that killed an elderly woman north of Brisbane - one of 600,000 offences in the state last year. (AAP Image/Supplied by Queensland Police Service)
Assaults, sexual offences, robbery, arson, unlawful entry and stolen vehicles all climbed in Queensland crime statistics data released by police on Wednesday.
The state recorded a total of 603,321 offences in 2023, an increase of 7.3 per cent on the previous year.
Some 20,211 cases of unlawful use of a vehicle were recorded – the first time numbers have reached over 20,000 in a year – and unlawful entry numbers climbed to 147,074.
Both categories reached their highest recorded totals since pre-2001.
The number of assaults increased from 51,835 in 2022 to 57,654 last year and continued a trend of rising assault cases across the state since 2014.The far north region was the only area to have a decline in assaults in Queensland in 2023.
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said behind every offence is a victim and the data proves crime is worsening in Queensland.
He said a generation of hardcore recidivist offenders were wreaking havoc on communities and the LNP would re-write the Youth Justice Act if elected at the 2024 state election.
“A generation of untouchables have been created,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“A generation who know that their rights outweigh the rights of everyday Queenslanders, a generation that conduct themselves without any fear of the law.”
Data from the state government statistician’s office in 2021-2022 shows the rate of “unique” or first-time child offenders has continued to decline across the state.
A crime report from the statistician’s office also found there were more than 20 per cent fewer unique youth offenders in 2021-22, compared to 2012-13.
Mr Crisafulli said crime issues had continually manifested each year and police data backed up concerns from community members.
Four teenagers were arrested in Brisbane on Saturday after allegedly stealing a car from a Bardon address and livestreaming their joyriding on social media.
Police say youth criminals are doing this for social media clout.
Mr Crisafulli said hardcore recidivist offenders are doing this due to the current legislation.
“There was a time when offenders tried to hide their face and run away from the law.
“Now they post their face online and they run at police because of weak laws.”
