The Crisafulli Government has introduced landmark legislation to Parliament as part of a nation-leading overhaul of Labor’s weak bail laws for both adult and youth offenders, to make Queensland safer.
The Breach Bail, Go to Jail and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 is the next stage of Adult Crime, Adult Time, and will target youth and adult offenders who commit serious offences while on bail.
The Bill introduces major changes, including:
- Creating a standalone offence for committing a serious offence while released on bail. The offence carries a mandatory minimum custodial sentence of 12 months imprisonment, to be wholly served in custody.
- Strengthening the bail threshold for serious offenders by introducing a new “high degree of confidence” test. Under the test, police or a court must refuse bail unless satisfied to a high degree of confidence that the offender will not commit another serious offence while on bail.
- For youth offenders this is any Adult Crime, Adult Time offence.
- For adults, a serious offence includes all Adult Crime, Adult Time offences, as well as coercive control and Daniel’s Law child sexual offences.
The reforms ensure a defendant cannot be granted bail unless they show cause as to why their detention is not justified and satisfy police or the court to a high degree of confidence that they will not commit a further serious offence while on bail.
The Crisafulli Government has committed to passing the stronger bail laws by the end of the year.
For a decade, the former Labor Government weakened Queensland’s youth crime laws, including making detention a last resort and removing breach of bail as an offence, creating a Youth Crime Crisis that saw victim numbers explode by 193 per cent.
The former Labor Government left chronic failures in our youth detention and prison system, with major capacity issues and no rehabilitation, but the Crisafulli Government is doing the work to increase capacity and will continue to deliver the infrastructure needed to keep Queenslanders safe.
The Crisafulli Government is committed to making Queensland safer through stronger laws, more police, early intervention and rehabilitation, with Police data showing a 9.6% drop in victim numbers.
Premier David Crisafulli said this was one of the most significant packages of bail reform ever taken through the Queensland Parliament.
“We are expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to deliver stronger bail laws, to make Queensland safer,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“We made a promise to take on Labor’s weak bail laws, we listened to Queenslanders and we’re delivering.
“These are important reforms the Ministers have been working through for some time to deliver the nation-leading stronger bail laws that will restore safety.” Member for Scenic Rim Jon Krause said the Crisafulli Government was delivering more police, stronger laws and fewer victims.
“We are delivering the fresh start Queenslanders voted for with more police, stronger laws and fewer victims including tougher bail laws after Labor spent a decade weakening bail laws as the Youth Crime Crisis continued to spiral out of control.” Mr Krause said.