One-punch killers to face life in Qld
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One-punch killers would face life imprisonment under proposed changes to Queensland laws.
The Newman government’s draft plan to tackle alcohol-related and drug-related violence, released on Sunday, would create an offence – unlawful striking causing death – to deal with one-punch killers.
If convicted, defendants would be required to serve at least 80 per cent of their life sentence behind bars before being eligible for parole.
“We have all seen the devastating and often tragic effects of coward punches not just in our state but across the nation,” Premier Campbell Newman said in a statement.
“The Queensland government is determined to counter this dangerous trend and make Queensland the safest place in Australia for people to go out and enjoy themselves.”
Under the plan, the maximum penalty for aggravated serious assaults on ambulance officers would rise from seven to 14 years’ imprisonment.
Drunkenness would no longer be a viable excuse to mitigate an offender’s sentence and courts would have the power to ban people from licensed premises for life.
ID would be installed in all licensed venues trading after midnight to keep out problem patrons and banned people.
The government would also set up 15 “safe night precincts” across the state where there would be late-night lockouts and more police on the beat.
Police would be given the power to detain people for their own safety if they were unduly intoxicated and at risk of serious harm, or behaving in a potentially violent or antisocial manner.
The government would also introduce a compulsory drinking awareness plan for all students between years 7-12 as part of the school curriculum.
The public has been asked to comment on the draft policy before April 21.[polldaddy poll=7904040]