“[We] express our sorrow for all the families and people involved,” McDougall said. “We absolutely need to stop … children getting into stolen vehicles but the question is: how do we achieve that?McDougall said the plan would be centred on children’s rights and aim to improve their life trajectory.
“We need to ensure that services for children are fit-for-purpose, whether that’s in health or education or in any other facet of government service delivery that touches upon their wellbeing,” he said.Natalie Lewis, the commissioner of Queensland’s Family and Child Commission, said responses should not be funnelled solely into the youth justice department, which was “the least equipped” to deal with the complexity of the situation.
“We actually need the proactive engagement with education. We need health services to step up. We need disability support to be available, accessible and of high quality,” she said.when it comes to violating children’s rights in the youth justice system. Lewis said Queensland must follow the example of Scotland, which had committed to enshrining the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law,