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The Queensland Premier and Opposition leader look to swoon Far North electorates

Oct. 18, 2024 - 13:14 By ABC NEWS (Australia)

David Crisafulli was back on his home turf ... serving it up to some youngsters in Ingham. Before a visit to his old local, “I told these guys from Brisbane about this pub with no beer and they didn't believe me so I brought them here for the real experience.” But there was plenty on tap and the LNP leader was feeling generous. “You guys get one round from me and then no more.” “My shout, one round ... let's go.” He'd been on the go all morning, campaigning on a familiar topic. "A generation of hardcore, repeat young offenders" His latest solution two new facilities to rehabilitate young offenders. One in the north, one in the south, 60 beds combined costing $80 million to run over four years. He calls it Circuit Breaker Sentencing giving the judiciary the option of sending young offenders to a remote facility for up to six months. “They will be secure, there will be discipline, there will be education and there will be an ability for them to turn their lives around.” There'll be detention officers on site, but the L-N-P insists they won't be youth detention centres. "You don't have individual holding cells" “The announcement by the LNP is embarrassingly undercooked and undercosted.” Law and order is always a big issue here in Townsville and it's no surprise the LNP has chosen the city to unveil the announcement as the party tries to make youth crime one of the battle lines of this month's election. "It's flattering to have your homework from the last seven years copied". Youth advocacy groups say they're cautiously optimistic. “We are pleased to see there is going to be the opportunity for an alternative to the three detention centres that exist now which don’t offer great options in terms of rehabilitation.” The Premier was also in Townsville, visiting Ronald McDonald House. “Do you like spiderman, or plums and bums” His Treasurer revealing state's total debt that was meant to hit $172 billion within four years would now reach $180bn under a re-elected Labor government. “We are very confident about keeping our credit rating.” “We're going to continue borrowing to build because we've got the strength of our balance sheet and the strength of our budget to deliver that.” The pair announced $3 million for a new car park at Stadium Mackay and matched the LNP's $23.5 million promise stage 2 the Great Barrier Reef Arena upgrade. “These new facilities will deliver for both community and professional sport in Mackay.” Both leaders are tonight in the state's far north.