Queensland has expanded its ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws.<\/p>\n
A document on the Youth Justice Department’s website \u2014 dated July 2025 \u2014 details “contractual requirements regarding media” for service providers that receive funding from it.<\/p>\n
These include that they “must not” discuss or post anything about funded programs with “anyone in the media or related to media,” as well as “not initiate” media contact unless the department has given “verbal authority”.<\/p>\n
“You must notify Us \u2026 immediately upon receipt of any request or contact from a journalist, news reporter or media organisation, including a) general inquiries; b) requests for interviews or site visits; or c) requests for information about the funded programs,” the document states.<\/p>\n
“When notifying Us, You must include the nature of the request, the media outlet, the name of the journalist or reporter and the specific questions or issues raised.”<\/p>\n
It also states that service providers need “written authority” from the department within 24 hours of the “verbal authority”.<\/p>\n
Providers are also banned from discussing “an incident” with anyone other than the department or emergency services such as police, fire or ambulance, the document states.<\/p>\n
Opposition critical of ‘media gag’<\/p>\n
In a statement, Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber defended her department’s guidelines.<\/p>\n
“Media clauses in government funded department contracts is a longstanding standard practice across the government, including in Youth Justice,” she said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Laura Gerber has stood by the department’s media guidelines. (ABC News: Rachel Stewart)<\/p>\n
Queensland’s new LNP government is rolling out a “regional reset” program through external providers, which offers early intervention aimed at reducing youth offending.<\/p>\n
Opposition youth justice spokeswoman Di Farmer said in a statement that youth justice required “robust and difficult conversations” to help address it, but “these new rules silence the experts”.<\/p>\n
“This media gag is nothing more than a way to silence Queenslanders,” she said.<\/p>\n
Greens MP Michael Berkman called it a “shocking overreach” by the Crisafulli government, saying it is “clearly trying to silence potential whistle-blowers who see the failings of Queensland’s youth justice system first hand”.<\/p>\n
“Contracts like this have a chilling effect on our democracy, and it raises serious questions about what this government is so eager to hide,” he said.<\/p>\n
“If the LNP was really delivering on their promised ‘gold standard early intervention and prevention’ programs, they’d be encouraging service providers to share their experiences, not gagging them.”<\/p>\n
Media code standard practice, government says<\/p>\n
The Department of Youth Justice said provisions requiring “appropriate management” of media matters had been part of departmental contracts for many years.<\/p>\n
They insisted the guidelines made no restrictions on organisations advocating publicly for better outcomes for young people or discussing matters outside the funded services or programs.<\/p>\n