Punitive populism and the politicisation of youth crime in Queensland: A human rights critique of the <i>Making Queensland Safer Act 2024</i>

This article critically examines the Making Queensland Safer Act 2024 (Qld), situating it within a broader trajectory of punitive youth justice reforms in Queensland. It argues that the Act reflects a deliberate political strategy of punitive populism, enacted at the expense of children and young people’s rights and in clear contravention of both domestic and international human rights standards. The author explores the symbiotic relationship between media narratives, political opportunism and public opinion in manufacturing a youth crime ‘crisis’ and calls for an urgent shift toward evidence-informed youth justice policy.