- Crisafulli Government is delivering a new early intervention program for Cairns to restore safety where you live.
- Program supports at-risk girls with mentoring and training to turn them away from crime and towards a career in trade.
- The Crisafulli Government is investing in Gold Standard Early Intervention to stop crime before it starts and to turn the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis.
- The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer and delivering a fresh start for Queensland.
The Crisafulli Government is breaking the cycle of crime and restoring safety where you live with a new Kickstarter early intervention program in Cairns.
It is just one way the Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer after crime skyrocketed during Labor's decade of decline.
The BUSY Group will support at-risk girls (aged 14–17) across Cairns with their 10-week Kickstarter program that provides intensive mentoring and teaches girls trade skills to turn their lives away from crime and reconnect them with education, training, or a job.
The program is funded under the Crisafulli Government's Kickstarter early intervention grants and helps make Cairns safer by intervening early before youth become entrenched in a life of crime.
Kickstarter funds early intervention programs for at-risk youth showing early signs of criminal behaviour to re-engage them with education and training.
Labor's weak laws, fewer police and failure to invest in early intervention created a generation of serious repeat youth offenders and Queensland's Youth Crime Crisis.
The Crisafulli Government is restoring safety where you live with stronger laws, more police, and the biggest investment in rehabilitation and early intervention in Queensland history.
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said early intervention was vital to making Queensland safer and reducing victims of crime.
"We are investing in early intervention because we know it's a critical step to prevent youth from falling into a life of crime," Minister Gerber said.
"This program gives at-risk girls support to make better choices and find a positive career path preventing offending before it occurs.
"Addressing the early signs of disengagement, anti-social or criminal behaviour is critical to breaking the cycle of crime and putting youth back on the right track."
Assistant Minister for Far North Queensland and Member for Barron River Bree James said the Crisafulli Government had made a record $560 million investment in early-intervention and rehabilitation for youth.
"Labor failed to invest in early intervention and we have seen our community suffer as a result of Labor's Youth Crime Crisis," Ms James said.
"Early-intervention programs, like this one, are a key part of the Crisafulli Government's plan to break the cycle of crime in Far North Queensland."
Member for Mulgrave Terry James welcomed the funding for Far North Queensland. "Intervening early before youth become repeat offenders means we can make a genuine impact before they become entrenched in a life of crime, this reduces the number of youth offenders and restores safety to the Far North," Mr James said.
The BUSY Group General Manager of Youth and Community Glen O'Keefe said early tailored support could change the direction of a young person's life.
"When young people disengage early, the impacts can follow them for years," Mr O'Keefe said.
"This program isn't about forcing outcomes. It's about restoring self-belief, building aspirations, and helping young women connect to education, training and employment in a way that makes sense for them."
