Credit cards and digital wallets are now the central focus of a new parliamentary inquiry, announced just as shoppers across Australia prepare for the bustling Christmas and Boxing Day sales period. The inquiry will scrutinize the practices of both card-based payment schemes and digital wallets.   The announcement comes against a backdrop of record-breaking online spending, which reached nearly $70 billion last year, supported significantly by credit card use. This online spending has been growing annually by about 12 percent.   The inquiry aims to give the public a critical opportunity to comment on the fairness, competitiveness, and affordability of current credit card and payment systems,. Committee Chair Ed Husic MP emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating that the way credit card systems work, including their costs and other impacts, “really matters to Australians confronting cost of living challenges”.   “After spending up ahead of Christmas, many Aussie consumers will scan a sharp eye over their credit card statements and ask questions about how they’re charged,” Mr. Husic noted. The investigation will perform a deeper dive into the growing cost implications for small businesses and consumers caused by existing payment schemes and digital wallets. Specifically addressing small business concerns, the inquiry will examine the “impact and inequity of payment costs” on these operators.   Mr. Husic highlighted the difficulties faced by entrepreneurs, saying, “Running a small business is hard work. Minimising costs and overheads is a priority for Australia’s small businesspeople who are always looking for payment systems that can offer a better deal and make their lives easier”.   Beyond current systems, the inquiry will also look toward the future, examining how technology may shape payments, with a particular focus on digital currencies and blockchain technology.   Australians who believe current payment schemes lack fairness, accessibility, competitiveness, or affordability will have a chance to provide input. Submissions will be accepted shortly, with the closing date set for Friday, January 30, 2026. The Committee is slated to report its findings by April 2026.

  The Queensland Government, under the Crisafulli Administration, has launched a major crackdown on fraudulent workers’ compensation claims, reinforcing its zero-tolerance stance and declaring an end to what officials called a decade of decline. The government has already recovered more than $250,000 in 2024–25 as part of comprehensive measures to strengthen fraud protection and detection.   The reforms are designed to ensure suspected fraud is reported quickly, investigations are coordinated, and staff are fully equipped to identify and stop “rorts” before they impact businesses and taxpayers. Key initiatives introduced include:   Fraud Taskforce: A joint effort with the Regulator established to coordinate strategies for prevention, investigation, and prosecution. Fraud Tip-Off Form: A streamlined process for WorkCover employees to report suspected fraud. Internal Fraud Hub: A dedicated internal resource offering guidance and information on related matters. Fraud Awareness Week and 2026 Education Plan: Comprehensive programs to educate staff on identifying and reporting fraud.   Deputy Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations Jarrod Bleijie stated that the crackdown marks a decisive shift. He criticized the previous Labor government, claiming they “allowed fraudsters to thrive and eroded confidence in Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme”. Bleijie asserted that Labor “turned a blind eye to fraudulent claims” for a decade, but this era is over as the Crisafulli Government restores integrity.   “Queensland businesses and taxpayers deserve better and we remain steadfast in ensuring Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme is fair, sustainable, and protected,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said, adding a clear warning: “We are sending a clear message – if you commit fraud, you will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable”.   The crackdown aligns with WorkCover Queensland’s newly prioritized fraud detection in its Corporate Plan, which is working closely with the Office of Industrial Relations to enhance fraud management and protect businesses from unfair premium hikes. In 2024–25, the Office of Industrial Relations investigated 164 suspected fraud cases and initiated six prosecutions under the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003.   These fraud prevention measures were announced shortly after the Crisafulli Government, through new leadership appointed to WorkCover Queensland, chose not to raise WorkCover premiums this financial year. The WorkCover board opted to freeze the average premium rate at $1.343 per $100 of wages, after discounts, providing certainty for businesses. Queensland continues to maintain the lowest average premium rate of any centrally funded state or territory. This freeze follows a period under the former Labor Government where the average premium rate increased by almost 12 per cent over three years.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced yesterday that the federal government’s subsidy for electricity bills, which provided a discount of $75 per quarter for all households, will not be extended into next year and will instead end in December as originally planned. Speaking at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Mr Chalmers described the Cabinet’s decision not to extend the program into a fourth round as “hard” but necessary, recognizing the “pressure on the budget”.   The electricity bill rebates were introduced in mid-2023 and were initially funded for just one year, though the program was twice extended due to acute cost-of-living pressures. The government stressed that the rebates were always intended to be a temporary measure and not a “permanent feature of the budget”. The three completed rounds of the energy bill rebates have cost the Commonwealth almost $7 billion, with states and territories contributing another $1.5 billion or so.   Shift to Permanent Relief   The ending of the temporary rebates marks a significant shift in how the government delivers cost-of-living relief, moving away from measures first decided when inflation was nearly 8 per cent, toward ongoing, permanent assistance.   Mr Chalmers highlighted that cost-of-living relief will now be provided in other ways, including through the tax system, Medicare bulk billing incentives, and cheaper medicines. This transition is illustrated by the upcoming second and third rounds of tax cuts, which the government has engineered to provide “permanent help with the cost of living delivered through the tax system”.   By one measure, the combined three rounds of tax cuts are expected to provide Australians with about $50 a week in permanent ongoing help, which people can use to pay electricity bills or meet other cost-of-living pressures.   Budget Context and Energy Future   The difficult decision to discontinue the rebates was made as the Treasury finalizes the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), which is due next week. Mr Chalmers stated that the mid-year budget update will be “sensible, responsible and restrained” and will contain savings and difficult decisions to manage substantial pressures on the budget. Notably, current inflation forecasts already account for the energy bill rebates finishing this month.   Regarding future energy prices, the government plans to put downward pressure on costs over time by introducing more cleaner and cheaper energy. The policy is to replace the least reliable, aging parts of the energy fleet with the “cleanest, cheapest, most reliable renewable energy”, firmed by gas and hydro and backed up by batteries.   The government maintains that its commitment to providing meaningful and responsible assistance is constant, even though the nature of that cost-of-living help is evolving.  

  Today marks the 77th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a historic document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948. Born from the ashes of World War II, the UDHR was the first time nations collectively committed to universally protect the inalienable rights of every human being, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.​   The Universal Declaration of Human Rights forms the foundation of international human rights law and serves as the standard by which human rights compliance is measured worldwide. Among its 30 articles, Article 14 enshrines a fundamental protection: “everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution”. This provision became the basis of refugee protection under the 1951 Refugee Convention, to which Australia is a signatory.​   A World of Growing Instability   Yet 77 years after its proclamation, Human Rights Day 2025 is observed in what the United Nations describes as a world of growing instability and turbulence. This year’s theme, “Our Everyday Essentials,” aims to reconnect people with human rights by demonstrating how they shape daily lives in ways often unnoticed.​   Politics of fear and division are emboldening those who seek to undermine the very principles the declaration enshrines, with chilling glorification of some of the darkest periods in human history. In Australia, recent months have witnessed disturbing displays of hostility and intolerance directed at both migrants and First Nations people.​   Rise of Racist Demonstrations in Australia   The so-called “March for Australia” rallies held on August 31 and October 19, 2025, brought thousands of predominantly white demonstrators to streets across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Canberra. These events were marked by anti-immigration sentiment and, according to investigations by ABC News and The Age, were organised by individuals with ties to neo-Nazi and white nationalist groups, including the National Socialist Network.​   In Melbourne, violent confrontations erupted between rally participants and counter-protesters. Police deployed pepper spray, flash-bangs, and rubber bullets as tensions escalated. The rallies culminated in a shocking attack on Camp Sovereignty, a sacred Aboriginal burial ground in Melbourne, where approximately 50 individuals, many dressed in black and led by National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell, invaded the site shouting “white power” and racial slurs.​   Attackers trampled the sacred fire maintained to honour Indigenous ancestors, stomped on the Aboriginal flag, and assaulted those present, specifically targeting women. Four people sustained injuries, with one woman requiring hospitalisation. Police only arrived after the attackers had fled, and no arrests were made at the scene.​   Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, a DjabWurrung, Gunnai, and Gunditjmara woman, condemned what she termed institutional hypocrisy in handling far-right groups and has demanded a full investigation into the attack and the slow police response, which she directly linked to systemic racism.​   Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner has warned that inaccurate and dehumanising rhetoric over migration risks fanning the flames of racism and distraction from the real causes of social and economic challenges. For people who have escaped war, torture, or persecution, these hostile displays are terrifying, and some have felt too unsafe to leave their homes.​   Research confirms the persistent nature of racism in Australia. According to the 2024 Australian Reconciliation Barometer, 56% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people believe Australia is a racist country, and First Nations peoples’ experiences of racism have significantly increased over the last decade, with 54% reporting experiences of racism in 2024 compared to 39% in 2014. Younger First Nations peoples experience racism at particularly high levels, with 68% of those aged 25-34 reporting racial prejudice.​   Offshore Detention Corruption Exposed   Adding to the human rights concerns, explosive revelations have surfaced about Australia’s offshore detention system. In November 2025, a confidential report from Australia’s financial crime agency AUSTRAC revealed that the Australian Government had known for years about suspected corruption involving senior Nauruan officials before signing a new multibillion-dollar deal in secret.​   Whistleblowers, including senior Home Affairs official Dr Derek Elias and former Australian soldier Oisin Donohoe, have exposed systemic corruption, cover-ups, and criminal infiltration at the heart of Australia’s offshore detention regime. Their testimony revealed that members of the Finks bikie gang had been contracted to run security operations under Australia’s latest $2.5 billion offshore deal with Nauru, and that millions of taxpayer dollars were allegedly funnelled through secretive contracts to enrich private companies and corrupt officials.​   The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has called for a Royal Commission into offshore processing, describing the system as one built to avoid scrutiny, where secrecy enabled abuse, cover-ups, and corruption to flourish. Around 100 people remain trapped on Nauru today under Australia’s offshore processing arrangements, with reports of food insecurity and deteriorating health.​   Transparency International Australia has described Nauru as “a classic case of kleptocracy where government politicians and elites engage in corruption and theft of public funds”. A Senate inquiry is now underway to investigate these allegations.​   Surge in Demand for Asylum Support   Against this backdrop, the ASRC reports a dramatic surge in demand for frontline support. The organisation has witnessed a significant rise in people seeking assistance from places like Gaza, Syria, Sudan, and Afghanistan, many facing multiple crises simultaneously: risk of homelessness, food insecurity, legal limbo, and deep isolation.​   With over 120 million people forcibly displaced by escalating crises worldwide, Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers has come under scrutiny. The Australian Government has rejected over 7,600 Palestinian visa applications—almost 70%—accepting a mere 3,808, with only approximately 1,500 individuals safely arriving. Additionally, approximately 7,000 people remain in “visa limbo” after being failed by the deeply flawed Fast Track process, trapped on temporary bridging visas without the ability to rebuild their lives with certainty or reunite with family.​   ASRC’s Response and Call to Action   The ASRC’s wrap-around model—lawyers, nurses, caseworkers, foodbank, and housing teams working side by side—remains a lifeline for thousands in need

Australia’s temporary visa population has surged to a record 2.9 million people, intensifying pressure on the federal government to overhaul the migration system ahead of the 2026 election campaign. The blow‑out is driving fierce debate over housing, jobs and fairness for both migrants and the broader community.​   Record numbers on temporary visas   New data shows about 10 per cent of Australia’s population is now living in the country on temporary visas as of October 2025, a level 70 per cent higher than in 2019 and above the pre‑pandemic peak. The largest groups are international students (around 638,000) and New Zealand citizens on Special Category visas (about 731,000), with sharp growth also in Temporary Graduate, Working Holiday-Maker and bridging-visa cohorts.​   System under strain   Experts warn a system originally built for short‑term stays is increasingly being used as a long, uncertain pathway to permanent settlement. More than 402,000 people are now on bridging visas, contributing to administrative congestion and long wait times. The Administrative Review Tribunal is dealing with a record 124,000‑case backlog, dominated by student and protection‑visa appeals, raising concerns about fairness and efficiency.​   Calls for major policy reset   Former deputy immigration secretary Dr Abul Rizvi says the numbers show Australia has shifted from “planned permanency” to “unmanaged temporariness” and is at risk of creating a two‑tier society of permanent and perpetual temporary residents. He is urging the government to increase the permanent migration program by 50,000 places a year for the next three years and streamline appeals so people are not left in limbo for years.​   Business and unions demand fixes   Business groups and unions agree the current system is not working, but for different reasons. Universities rely heavily on fee‑paying international students, while sectors such as hospitality, agriculture and aged care depend on temporary workers to fill chronic labour shortages. Employers say slow processing, sudden rule changes and patchy enforcement make workforce planning almost impossible, and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling for a single digital portal to track applications from lodgement to final decision. Unions, however, argue that the priority must be stronger compliance to prevent wage theft and exploitation of migrant workers in vulnerable sectors.​   High political stakes ahead of 2026   Politically, the record visa numbers are fuelling a heated contest in Canberra. The Coalition accuses the Labor government of letting migration “run off the rails”, while the government says it inherited a broken system and is tightening English‑language standards, student‑visa integrity checks and employer‑sponsorship rules. With a federal election due next year and housing affordability dominating public concern, both major parties are under pressure to show how they will manage migration in a way that supports economic growth while easing pressure on rents, services and social cohesion.  

Queensland’s health system is set for significant improvements following the passage of new legislation aimed at strengthening assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, organ donation, and overall accountability across the healthcare sector.   The Crisafulli Government has passed the Health Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 3) 2025, the third omnibus health bill introduced this year. The new laws are designed to enhance patient safety, improve transparency, and deliver a more responsive health system for Queenslanders.   Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Tim Nicholls, said the bill addresses key gaps left by previous legislation and ensures that families seeking IVF treatment can receive care safely and without unnecessary barriers.   “Labor’s ART Act is the poster child for what can happen if legislation is rushed, and it resulted in a framework that was difficult for providers to navigate and put up heartbreakingly unnecessary barriers for patients desperate to be mums and dads,” Minister Nicholls said.   Revisions to the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024 introduce stronger powers for inspectors, improved information collection, and transitional provisions to ensure ongoing treatments are not disrupted. These changes aim to make IVF services safer and more accountable for both patients and providers.   The bill also updates the Transplantation and Anatomy Act 1979 to support organ donations after circulatory death, a move expected to help more Queenslanders receive life-saving transplants.   “With over 1,800 Australians on the transplant waiting list and more than 14,000 undergoing kidney dialysis, it’s crucial we do everything possible to enable donation where individuals and families support it,” Minister Nicholls said.   Under the new framework, families and next of kin will be able to consent to medical interventions—such as administering medications to preserve organ viability or performing imaging scans—to facilitate organ donation once life support has been withdrawn.   In addition to IVF and organ donation reforms, the bill introduces governance and accountability changes to several health acts, including the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011, Private Health Facilities Act 1999, and Health and Wellbeing Queensland Act 2019. These updates will strengthen oversight of leadership roles and implement new national safety standards for cosmetic surgery.   “These changes ensure that those in leadership positions are held to the highest standards and remain accountable to the people of Queensland,” Minister Nicholls added.   The Health Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 3) 2025 represents a key step in the Crisafulli Government’s plan to modernize Queensland’s health system and deliver what the Minister described as “a fresh start” for health services across the state.   “This bill is all about delivering a modern, safe, and responsive health system for all Queenslanders by ensuring better protection for patients, improved performance across the system, and stronger foundations for future health reforms,” Minister Nicholls said.  

The Packer’s Prize has long celebrated works that challenge, inspire, and move audiences and this year’s winner does all three. Artists Kuweni Dias Mendis and Grant X Wilkes have been awarded for their breathtaking collaborative work Homecoming, a piece that pulses with memory, identity, and quiet revolution.   Chosen by the team who hang and bring the exhibition to life, The Packer’s Prize is proudly supported by Howard Smith Wharves. Their selection reflects not just technical mastery but emotional resonance a rare ability to turn complex histories into visual poetry.   Homecoming marries cyanotype, botanical toning, pigment, and intricate stitching, creating layers that feel alive with story. The deep blues and natural tones evoke heritage and place, while the textures suggest the interwoven threads of belonging and decolonisation. Together, Mendis and Wilkes reinterpret portraiture, shifting it beyond likeness toward a conversation about who we are, where we come from, and what we reclaim in returning.   Judges praised the work as “deeply considered and innovative,” acknowledging its capacity to transcend conventional portraiture and speak to the heart of contemporary identity.   The recognition doesn’t end there, Homecoming also received the Metro Arts Experimental Portraiture Prize, granting the duo a two-week exhibition at Metro Arts, a space that continues to champion artists unafraid to experiment and provoke thought.   In an era shaped by migration, multiplicity, and cultural reclamation, Homecoming feels especially resonant. It welcomes audiences to reflect on the concept of return not only to a physical homeland, but to the truth of self and the stories that shape us.   Through Homecoming, Kuweni Dias Mendis and Grant X Wilkes remind us that art is not just seen; it is felt, experienced, and remembered. Their work stands as a luminous testament to how collaboration can bridge disciplines and histories and in doing so, bring us home.

Brisbane City Council is calling on suburban pubs to help address a critical shortage of hotel rooms ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The new initiative, dubbed the Suburban Pub Stays Strategy, aims to encourage pub owners and operators to deliver new accommodation and function spaces by utilising large, underutilised sites in the suburbs.   The strategy includes considering planning changes to make it easier for pub owners and operators to build hotel rooms and conference facilities. This push is crucial for the city’s visitor economy; south-east Queensland currently has 46,000 hotel rooms, which is significantly less than the supply found in cities like Los Angeles (120,000) and Paris (133,000), according to a Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) report.   Currently, about 70 Brisbane pubs are situated on sites measuring 2000 square metres or more, yet only 15 of these sites currently support accommodation. The Council estimates that by redeveloping just 20 suburban pubs, more than 1,600 new rooms could be added to Brisbane’s hotel supply, supporting local jobs and businesses.   Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner explained the initiative as “going back to the future,” aiming to bring back a time when suburban pubs commonly offered rooms upstairs. “It’s a simple idea that will help provide more places for families and friends to stay, right near the people they love,” Schrinner said. He also stressed that the strategy aims to strike the right balance by encouraging hotel rooms in appropriate areas while ensuring suburban homes remain available on the long-term rental market.   The need for new hotel investment is urgent, as Property Council research shows a 90 per cent drop in new hotel rooms over the past five years. Hotel construction in Brisbane fell by 90 per cent between 2019 and 2024, partly due to a 40 per cent increase in construction costs and reduced demand during COVID-19.   The suburban pub model offers a viable alternative, as smaller-scale projects can be delivered more affordably and faster than larger inner-city projects. The redevelopment of The Brook Hotel, for instance, was completed in just over a year at a cost of approximately $25 million, demonstrating strong demand for suburban accommodation. The Glen Hotel is also undergoing a major $30 million-plus redevelopment, which will deliver more than 100 five-star hotel rooms. Brian and Cathy Fitzgibbons of The Glen Hotel stated that Council’s support and the Suburban Pub Stays Strategy provide operators with the confidence to invest and “dream bigger and act sooner”.   Industry figures have lauded the strategy as a necessary step. Ross Elliott of Suburban Futures noted that this initiative is a genuine long-term legacy opportunity that allows the suburbs to offer a solution to the accommodation problem. Jess Caire, Executive Director of the Property Council, called the strategy “a great example of how local government can partner with the private sector to deliver the hotel rooms Brisbane needs”. QTIC CEO Natassia Wheeler welcomed the initiative, highlighting that the accommodation shortfall is one of the most pressing constraints on the visitor economy.   Bernie Hogan, CEO of the Queensland Hotels Association, concluded that targeted initiatives like this, coupled with existing planning regulation, can help ensure that all suburbs of Brisbane are great places to live for locals while also providing accommodation for city guests.   Pub operators, industry representatives, and residents are encouraged to share their feedback on the Suburban Pub Stays Strategy before 28 February 2026 by searching for the plan via www.brisbane.qld.gov.au.  

Pioneering research highlights how sophisticated financial abuse tactics leave victim-survivors facing bankruptcy, homelessness, and debts reaching millions.   A new national study has exposed a significant policy blind spot, revealing how business structures are being weaponized to perpetrate financial abuse, trapping women in crippling debt and leading to long-term economic hardship. The research highlights how women in heterosexual relationships are disproportionately the targets of this abuse.   The study, the first national analysis of its kind, was conducted in collaboration with the Economic Abuse Reference Group, Associate Professor Vivien Chen of Monash Business School, and Jasmine Opdam, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at Redfern Legal Centre’s Financial Abuse Service NSW. It set out to fill a knowledge gap regarding how company structures are exploited to cause harm.   Victim-survivors are frequently left with huge financial liabilities, sometimes amounting to millions of dollars, after being unknowingly or forcibly trapped in their ex-partner’s business affairs. Frontline professionals interviewed for the study described a consistent pattern of coercive tactics, including forged signatures, digital impersonation, or secretly installing victim-survivors as company directors. In many instances, the women only discovered these debts after being contacted by private debt collectors or the Australian Tax Office.   No Safeguards for Business Debt   A critical finding of the study is that, unlike consumer credit, business lending falls outside many of the legal protections designed to safeguard borrowers.   “Victim-survivors of coerced business debt don’t have access to free dispute resolution or hardship relief like they would with consumer debt,” explained Jasmine Opdam. She noted that business creditors are not legally required to have hardship policies, and the complex business structures victims are trapped in are costly and complex to unravel.   Associate Professor Vivien Chen stated that while Australia has progressed in addressing financial abuse through consumer credit reforms, there has been little recognition of how tax and company systems can also be exploited. “We need to treat coerced business debt as a serious form of economic abuse and design safeguards to reflect that reality,” she added.   Life-Altering Consequences   The consequences of this abuse are often life-altering, resulting in bankruptcy, homelessness, and ruined credit histories. For many, the severe mental health impacts leave them unable to work or regain financial independence.   Ms. Opdam emphasized that family violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness among women, and financial abuse traps victim-survivors in a cycle of poverty, sometimes leading to devastating psychological toll that prevents recovery.   The hardships are illustrated by the case of Monique (name changed for privacy), who discovered she was a director of her estranged husband’s shop after being chased by creditors for business loans, despite never signing any documents. Monique, who had no assets and was relying on Centrelink payments of about $600 a fortnight, was served a bankruptcy notice for an $85,000 debt. Before contacting help, she had withdrawn her entire superannuation, about $30,000, to try and pay the debt.   Calls for Urgent Reform   The research calls for urgent reform to ensure that victim-survivors are not left to carry the burden of debts they never chose to take on.   Key recommendations include: Tightening safeguards in the ABN and director registration processes. Extending consumer-style protections to small business lending. Reforming corporation and tax laws to recognize that directors may be prevented from managing companies due to family violence. Developing family violence policies, modeled on the Australian Banking Association’s guidelines, to encourage business creditors to respond constructively.  

The Queensland Government has unveiled new legislation to strengthen youth bail monitoring, promising tougher laws and expanded GPS tracking to curb youth reoffending across the state.   Introduced to Parliament today, the Youth Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Amendment Bill 2025 will make electronic monitoring a permanent feature of the state’s justice system and extend its use to more youth offenders. The government says the reforms are aimed at “restoring safety where you live” by holding young offenders accountable and reducing the number of victims of crime.   Youth Justice and Victim Support Minister Laura Gerber said the measures deliver on the Crisafulli Government’s election commitment to strengthen youth crime laws.   “We promised Queenslanders we would continue to strengthen our youth crime laws, and that’s exactly what we are doing,” Minister Gerber said.“Under Adult Crime, Adult Time, youth offenders now face serious consequences for their actions, and these reforms are another step to reduce reoffending and victim numbers.”   According to the government, GPS electronic monitoring has been shown to reduce reoffending by up to 24 per cent. The new legislation comes after two earlier Labor government trials, which critics say saw limited results, with only four young offenders fitted with tracking devices during the first year.   Minister Gerber said the new approach would combine tougher laws with early intervention and rehabilitation programs to address both prevention and accountability. “The Crisafulli Government is cleaning up Labor’s mess and delivering tough youth crime laws alongside early intervention and rehabilitation programs to make Queensland safer,” she said.   The government argues that the former Labor administration weakened Queensland’s youth crime policies by treating detention as a last resort and abolishing breach of bail as an offence — decisions it says contributed to the rise in repeat youth offending.   The expanded GPS monitoring reforms form part of the government’s broader youth justice plan involving additional police resources, community programs, and increased victim support services.