Mayor Tom Tate Calls For Harsher Penalties For Youth Criminals

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate told MyGC he has had enough of youth related crime following several incidents that occurred throughout the city during the week.

Mayor Tate is pushing the state government to implement a number of changes in an attempt to curb youth crime.

Tate has proposed several changes including GPS trackers as well as amendments to legislation and the bail act.

“The Southeast Queensland community has had enough, we are sick and tired of the youth crime, it’s damaging our reputation,”

- Mayor Tom Tate

“The way the youth repeat offender has been dealt with, it’s a catch and release scenario. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”

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Mayor Tate is asking the State government to introduce GPS trackers for young reoffenders, apply a mandatory sentence for youth offenders and booster police numbers across the coast.

“I don’t write legislation but I know the community well and they are sick of it. My message to the State Government is: find a solution now, before more lives are lost,” he said.

“I look forward to hearing of the date of a State Government-managed Community Hall meeting on youth crime.’

The mayor’s comments follow a string of youth offences over the past week involving the theft of vehicles.

Four teenagers were arrested and charged after allegedly stealing a vehicle and crashing it into a stationary police car in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

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