December 2, 2025
Police Minister Dan Purdie says more specialist detectives from the State Flying Squad will be coming to the South Burnett next week to help tackle a recent spike of crime in the area.
Minister Purdie made the assurance after holding a meeting with Attorney-General Deb Frecklington, senior police and council representatives on Tuesday to discuss crime issues in the South Burnett.
southburnett.com.au understands the Ministerial visit to the South Burnett was arranged prior to the recent crime forum in Murgon, but the topic of juvenile crime dominated the behind-closed-doors discussion.
Minister Purdie, Assistant Commissioner Matthew Vanderbyl, Acting Inspector Brett Everest, Superintendent Doug McDonald, Detective Superintendent George Marchesini (Regional Crime Co-ordinator) and other senior police met with Cr Heath Sander (the Divisional councillor for Murgon), South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff, Cherbourg Deputy Mayor Gordon Wragge, South Burnett CEO Mark Pitt and Cherbourg CEO Chatur Zala at the Council Chambers in Kingaroy.
Speaking afterwards, Minister Purdie said the State Government had made a commitment to the Mayor, the Council and the community that it would continue to give police “all the resources that they need by way of tougher laws and more boots on the ground to make sure they can drive down crime and return community safety”.
He said people needed to “feel safe” as well as “be safe” and he understood the frustration in the community.
Minister Purdie blamed the former Labor State Government for “watering down” laws over the past 10 years which, he said, had led to an explosion of crimes such as break-and-enters, car thefts and robberies across the State.
He said over the past 12 months, the State Government had been able to “slowly turn the tide” on these crimes, including a 5.9 per cent reduction.
However, it was not “mission accomplished”.
“We’re a long way from being happy … but what we have seen from those stats is that when you have more police, and you give them tougher laws, and the ability to do their job effectively, you can put downward pressure on crime,” Minister Purdie said.
However, said there was more work to be done and the government was committed to do that.
Minister Purdie said there that after “10 years of decline”, there was “a generation of untouchables” who thought they could break the law with impunity and only get a slap on the wrist.
Mrs Frecklington said it had been a very productive meeting and both the South Burnett and Cherbourg councils had raised some very serious concerns.
She said the senior police present had been able to outline some of the measures they have been taking locally.
Mrs Frecklington said the Crisafulli State Government was proud of the work that it had done during the past 12 months to be tough on crime, eg. “adult crime, adult time”, statewide wanding laws and the introduction of a child sex offender register.
“I know that this region has one of the highest rates of child sex offenders in this area,” Mrs Frecklington said.
However, she knew that more needed to be done.
“My sympathies do go out to anyone who has been faced by this crime spike at the moment,” she said.
- Related article: Residents Want Action On Crime
[UPDATED with correction. The 5.9 per cent reduction in crime, quoted by the Minister, was for all Queensland]
