Parents have raised fears about vigilantes patrolling the streets at night in a Townsville suburb after kids were reportedly chased walking home from work and getting pies at a local servo.
Nationals Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollands says government officials need to address Australia’s youth crime crisis because young Australians aren’t getting the help they need. “These kids have very high rates of neurological problems; they have learning problems, impulse control problems, information processing problems and mental health disorders,” Ms Hollands told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “They’re not getting help for those problems and so things get out of whack, and they end up on the streets.”
As tensions rise over youth crime in Townsville, fed-up residents in Bushland Beach have been taking matters into their own hands with a group of men patrolling streets at night.
Concerned parent Tim Doyle said while he understood why residents were angry, he feared for the local kids who were being “wrongly” targeted.
“There were two kids who snuck out to get a cheeky pie from the servo, and they were abused and chased back home by these people,” he said.
“Another kid riding home from his part-time job was chased and abused by these guys.
Bushland Beach parents Tim Doyle worried about local kids being wrongly targeted by vigilantes patrolling the streets at night. Picture: Caitlan Charles
“A guy walking home from the pub was harassed as well.”
“It’s not up to a vigilante group to decide who can and who can’t be out at night.”
Mr Doyle said the last thing they wanted to see was another life lost like Jennifer Board, 22, who was killed in an alleged vigilante chase gone wrong in Townsville in 2021.
Aspiring police officer Jennifer Board, 22, was killed in an alleged vigilante chase gone wrong in 2021.
Former police officer Brett Geiszler — a family friend of Ms Board — warned that the vigilantes were “playing with fire.”
“The lack of police action is frustrating, but the police have made it known that they will come after vigilantes, so these people will find themselves in trouble more than the criminals they are targeting ever will,” he said.
“I can totally understand it, but the enforcement action has to be left to the professionals, and we must continue to push for the government to back the police up with harsher penalties to keep the criminals off the streets.”
Former Townsville police officer Brett Geiszler says vigilantes are “playing with fire.” Picture: Alix Sweeney
Townsville’s Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson said police had not received any formal complaints recently regarding vigilantism in the Bushland Beach area at this stage.
But he warned residents about the risks of such behaviour, reiterating that their primary concern at the end of the day was preserving the community’s safety.
“To ensure community safety, police recommend members of the public do not engage in tactics to disrupt criminal activity which may involve risk of personal harm or further legal recourse,” Supt Lawson said.
“People who do attempt to take matters into their own hands could face harm or in some cases could themselves face legal recourse dependent upon their actions.”
Townsville Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson. Picture: Shae Beplate.
Queensland Family and Child Commission’s principal commissioner Luke Twyford said the threat of violence against any child is unacceptable.
“There are around 31,000 children in Townsville, aged between 10 and 19. The vast majority of these children are not involved with crime and should not be demonised.
“In our recent engagement with communities across Queensland, children spoke about being targeted despite not engaging in anti-social behaviour, and parents expressed concern for their children when they were doing regular activities in public, like walking to football games.
Queensland Family and Children Commission (QFCC) Chair Luke Twyford. Picture: Sandhya Ram
“A strong community is one that respects and values all of its citizens, and that includes children.”
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