Making Queensland Safer Bill 2024 (Qld)

An Act to amend the Childrens Court Act 1992, the Criminal Code, the Youth Justice Act 1992 and the legislation mentioned in schedule 1 for particular purposes The Parliament of Queensland enacts—

Part 1 Preliminary

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Making Queensland Safer Act 2024.

2 Commencement The following provisions commence on a day to be fixed by proclamation— (a) part 3; (b) part 4, division 3.

Part 2 Amendment of Childrens Court Act 1992

3 Act amended This part amends the Childrens Court Act 1992.

4 Amendment of s 20 (Who may be present at a proceeding) (1) Section 20(1)(c)(i) to (iv)— omit, insert— (i) a victim, or a relative of a victim, of the offence committed by the child; or (ii) a relative of a deceased victim of the offence committed by the child; or (iii) a person who is a representative of a victim, or of a relative of a deceased victim, of the offence committed by the child; or Examples for subparagraph (iii)— • a person who provides support or assistance to a victim, or a relative of a deceased victim, in relation to the proceeding • a member of an organisation that is providing support or assistance to a victim, or a relative of a deceased victim, in relation to the proceeding (iv) a person who, in the court's opinion, has a proper interest in the proceeding; or (v) a person holding media accreditation; or (2) Section 20(2) to (4)— omit. (3) Section 20(6), 'subsections (1) and (2)'— omit, insert— subsection (1) (4) Section 20(9), definitions accredited media entity, criminal proceeding and relative— omit. (5) Section 20(9)— insert— criminal proceeding means a proceeding under the Youth Justice Act 1992 in relation to an offence committed by a child, and includes an appeal proceeding, a sentence review or a proceeding for the sentencing of a child. media accreditation means accreditation under the Supreme Court's media accreditation policy. offence, committed by a child, includes an offence the child is alleged to have committed. relative— (a) of a victim of an offence committed by a child, means— (i) a spouse, child, step-child, parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent or grandchild of the victim; or (ii) a child, other than a child mentioned in subparagraph (i), for whom the victim has parental responsibility; or (iii) a person who, under Aboriginal tradition or Island custom, is regarded as a person mentioned in subparagraph (i) or (ii); or (b) of a deceased victim of an offence committed by a child, means a person who would be a relative mentioned in paragraph (a) if the victim were not deceased. (6) Section 20(5) to (9)— renumber as section 20(2) to (6).