During Parliamentary Budget Estimates on Thursday 4 August 2022, I asked about Bob Atkinson's 6 month review of the government's 2021 Youth Justice reforms.
You can read the answers below or in the official Queensland Parliament Record of Proceedings (Hansard).
Mr BERKMAN: Director-General, this relates to a question on notice that I asked back in May around the Atkinson review of the recent youth justice reforms. When I asked that question, the answer indicated that the review was already complete. When was the Atkinson review completed and when might we expect that review to be released?
CHAIR: Minister? You were directing the question to the—
Ms LINARD: It is a question for me, but you have directed to the director-general.
CHAIR: Would you like to redirect the question, member?
Mr BERKMAN: Sure, I am happy to put it to the minister.
Ms LINARD: Thank you, member. Understandably, it is more a question for me because the government is considering the report. That is the only reason I stepped in with the director-general. As you are aware, Bob Atkinson, who is the architect of the youth justice strategy, remains deeply involved in the strategy and the ongoing oversight of it, was also engaged to provide a six-month initial implementation review—not an outcomes review—but about the implementation of the measures that we announced in February, that went through the House and commenced in April. That review was delayed. There was a bereavement—I will not go further into that—in Mr Atkinson’s life and it was delayed, but it has been given to government earlier this year. It has been sitting with government. We are considering it and my hope is that it will be released very soon.
CHAIR: I now turn to the—
Mr BERKMAN: Is there no time for a follow-up, Chair?
CHAIR: Member, I will come back to you.
[LATER]
Mr BERKMAN: I return to the questions I was asking initially around the Atkinson review. I do not know if these are questions that can be answered, given where the review is up to. Director-General, does that review indicate that First Nations children, disabled children and vulnerable kids in care have been disproportionately impacted by the new laws, as was predicted ahead of the legislation?
Ms Mulkerin: As the minister answered previously, the review is before government.
Mr BERKMAN: It is not yet released, okay. I will change tack then, if I might.
Ms LINARD: I am happy to provide that answer, member for Maiwar, when it is released.