Powerpoint and politics: inside Queensland Labor’s shock decision to lock up children for breaching bail

One of Mark Ryan’s arguments to colleagues was that changing tack on youth bail laws would neutralise attacks by the media and opposition LNP. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

At a community crime forum in Toowoomba last week, the Queensland police minister, Mark Ryan, announced the government’s new youth bail plan – an “intensive supervision” program involving police doing home checks and patrols.

It didn’t go down well. Ryan was hounded by attendees and mocked for factual comments that most people on bail do not reoffend.