Hundreds of demonstrators marched to Queensland parliament today demanding stronger youth crime laws.
Among the demonstrators were relatives of Vyleen White, the 72-year-old who was allegedly murdered by a youth offender at Redbank Plains shopping centre last year.
“All these people attending here are all pushing the same cause, the main thing is justice,” Victor White, husband of the late great-grandmother said.
“I’m feeling good, if the message gets across and the premier is prepared to listen to what’s being said here today then it’s all for something,” Vyleen White’s cousin Anthony Thomas said.
It is the third time the Voice for Victims group has marched in the past eight months.
Outside parliament, the group met Steven Miles for the first time since he has been premier, with several victims taking the opportunity to speak with Miles personally.
One relative of victims who met the premier was Russell Field, the father of a young couple who were killed along with their unborn son when they were struck by a stolen car.
The car was driven by a 17-year-old boy.
Field told 9News that when he met with Miles today, the premier appeared not to recognise him.
In a press conference later, Miles said, “I might not have recognised him on sight, but I certainly know that awful story. It’s terrible.”
The Voice for Victims group is now calling for the introduction of support personnel for Victims of Crime.
They’re also campaigning for youth offenders to be given similar jail time as adults.
The rally coincided with Miles’s announcement of a $1.28 billion scheme to tackle crime in Queensland.
