The tragedy of Emma Lovell's alleged murder has prompted other victims of youth crime to speak out in solidarity and demand further action from the Queensland government.
The mother-of-two's fatal stabbing on Boxing Day reignited calls for tougher bail laws and prompted Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to announce a suite of youth justice reforms on Thursday.
A "heart broken" Elissia Carnavas — the former Matildas star who was allegedly attacked by armed youths while doing a live radio interview – said the changes had been "a long time coming".
"Maybe this is the beginning of finally doing more and heavier punishments coming to the perpetrators," she said.
"Our government has been very, very reactive. It's not a secret what's been happening in Queensland.
"It's gut-wrenching and it's frustrating that it's taken this to prompt reform."
She said she hoped the state would shift to being more proactive and explore new avenues of intervention.
"[Queensland] is such a beautiful place that we live in and to see it almost dismantling itself with this underbelly of youth crime is really sad," she said.
"We need to be doing something to come down on these kids to at least make them fear the law and fear the consequence."
It was mere months ago — in September — when youths allegedly attempted to steal Ms Carnavas's car at knifepoint.
"I walked away without a scratch on my body, and I do feel very fortunate in that regard, but I know people who have not and they still bear those scars."A
Calls for a minister for victims
A candlelight vigil will be held tonight for Ms Lovell in her suburb of North Lakes, north of Brisbane.
Moreton Bay Regional Council Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway said the community was reeling.
"People will go through a range of emotions when something like this happens," she said.
"Obviously sad, scared, there's a fair bit of anger out there as well, so all the emotions. Right now I think we just need to focus on coming together as a community and remembering Emma."
There are growing calls for a ministerial portfolio to be dedicated to victims.
Ben Cannon, the neighbour of rugby great Toutai Kefu, who ran to help the Kefus during an alleged home invasion last year, has repeatedly called for more support for victims.
He cast doubt over whether magistrates would enforce higher maximum penalties but welcomed the government's move to change the Youth Justice Act to require courts to take previous bail history into account when sentencing offenders.
Mr Cannon said the community feels as though youth crime is escalating with young people "doing an apprenticeship of crime".
"There's a minister that looks after juvenile crime, there's no minister for victims," he told ABC Radio Brisbane.
"I don't want a 15-year-old to go to jail but the reality of it is, our system doesn't need to get tougher, it needs to get smarter."
Mr Cannon said the government had proven that if the issue was big enough, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, "they can find money" to respond.
"People are dying, because of the inadequacies of our government to actually fight this with some smarts and take it head on."
When asked if she would consider making a minister for victims of crime, Ms Palaszczuk said most of those issues fall under the responsibility of the attorney-general's portfolio, but said the government "was listening".
Meanwhile, Michelle Liddle and Ben Beaumont — the parents of murdered teen Angus Beaumont – have spoken of their "anger, frustration and tears" over Ms Lovell's alleged murder.
"It hits a nerve and it does take you back … because you know that pain, that sudden, unpredictable loss," Ms Liddle said.
"This is all so avoidable."
She said the Queensland's youth justice laws "don't take into account the damage that is left behind" and that the system needed a "complete overhaul," with harsher sentences and breach of bail extended to juveniles.
"We need to hold them accountable … we need the removal of concurrent sentencing removed for juvenile killers .. and we need our maximum penalty removed for juvenile killers," Mr Beaumont said.
"The trouble is they keep being released and therein lays the problem, and each time these kids are released they get bigger and better and nastier at what they're doing," Ms Liddle said.
"The government is not deterring them. The laws are so insipid."
Reforms under consideration 'for some time'
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the reforms announced on Thursday were not knee-jerk but the culmination of months' worth of work.
A key element of the changes would force magistrates to consider previous bail breaches of a young offender when determining sentences or any further bail decisions.
"That package had been under consideration or had been worked on for some time, and there was an opportunity for us to outline those new actions this week, in the context of very high community interest," he said.
"I can assure you that they have been the result of a very thorough, internal process.
"The courts weren't meeting the community expectation in terms of allowing offenders onto bail and out of the custodial system to commit further crimes."
Current approach 'haphazard'
Former Queensland Law Society president Bill Potts said a minister or commissioner for victims would "formally recognise the very real trauma and effects of crime on the population".
"It's not just a matter of broken limbs and bruised bodies, it's more often about people feeling unsafe in their own homes and their own streets," he said.
Mr Potts said a minister for victims would also assist first responders and "those who are left to pick up the pieces" in "horrific circumstances".
"The way in which victims of crime are dealt with at the present is ad hoc and haphazard."
Establishing a victims' commissioner for victims of all violent offences was a recommendation made in the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce report, which was handed down in July and supported by the government in principle.
Womens' Legal Service chief executive Nadia Bromley said she was supportive of the appointment of a victims' commissioner, but said having a ministerial portfolio would provide "a higher level of governance".
"Victims still find themselves going to several agencies," she said.
"Sometimes people just need to be informed of their rights and the processes and that could be the role of a victims' minister.
"The way we've structured our justice is so that the prosecution occurs on behalf of the King, but the reality is that the wrong is done to the victim, so it is entirely appropriate that they be informed and engaged in the process."
