- The Crisafulli Government is delivering on its commitment to provide Gold Standard Early Intervention programs to restore safety where you live.
- Six new early intervention programs to help reduce crime in Cairns across the region will receive Kickstarter funding to deliver new programs to divert youth away from a life of crime.
- Programs will provide community-based support, mentoring and life skill workshops for at-risk youth to help break the cycle of crime.
- After a decade of decline, the Crisafulli Government is delivering in its first 10 months to turn the tide on Labor's Youth Crime Crisis.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering new and expanded early intervention programs to Cairns, with six community organisations receiving a share in more than $1.7 million in funding through the first round of the Kickstarter program.
The program will provide groundbreaking early intervention programs that empower youths by providing enhanced access to educational resources, life skills development, and holistic support systems.
Recipients include sports and activity-based learning, mentorship programs, life skill workshops and culturally led activities tailored towards First Nations young people.
A decade of failure by the former Labor Government saw inadequate investment in effective early intervention measures and weak laws, which created a generation of serious repeat offenders, creating Labor's Youth Crime Crisis.
The $50 million Kickstarter program is a key component of the Crisafulli Government's $115 million strategy to deliver Gold Standard Early Intervention across the state and restore safety where you live.
The community organisations receiving funding include:
Aspire Cairns Community Limited – Learn, Lead, Play and Thrive – Where Sport Fuels Success
Bori Muy LTD – Connecting The Dots Youth Program
Desert Pea Association Inc – CROSSROADS: Kuranda
Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation– Jabalbina On Country Cultural Workshops
Prosocial Skills Development– Mastering Me
Australian Training Works – The Rebuild Project
Minister for Youth Justice and Victim Support Laura Gerber said early intervention programs were crucial in reducing crime and improving community safety.
"Our focus on early intervention is about stopping crime before it starts by supporting young people before they go down the wrong path," Minister Gerber said.
"For a decade, Labor failed to act as youth crime rose, and detention centres became a revolving door.
"Kickstarter is about creating real change. It's an investment in brighter futures for young people and safer neighbourhoods for everyone."
Member for Mulgrave Terry James said the investment into local youth intervention programs was a crucial step forward in tackling Labor's Youth Crime Crisis.
"Providing our at-risk youth with support at the right time, we can prevent them from going down the path of crime," he said.
Member for Barron River Bree James said the Crisafulli Government was investing in Gold Standard Early Intervention to restore safety where you live.
"Early intervention programs play an important role in preventing at-risk youth from engaging in anti-social behaviour and steering them towards the right track."
Member for Cook David Kempton said the investment into local early intervention programs was crucial to community safety.
"Effective early intervention will make our streets safer and our communities stronger.
"By working hand-in-hand with community-led organisations, we can break the cycle of crime before it starts.
