The Queensland Government is considering significant changes to the state’s policing laws that could allow officers to routinely collect DNA from young offenders while also reviewing long-standing restrictions on police vehicle pursuits, as Premier David Crisafulli continues to pursue tougher measures aimed at reducing youth crime.

The proposals were discussed at the Queensland Police Union conference, where senior police representatives urged the state government to remove what they describe as inconsistencies between how adult and juvenile offenders are treated during criminal investigations.

Speaking after the conference, Premier David Crisafulli confirmed his government was actively considering reforms to the collection of DNA from young offenders and was also open to reviewing Queensland’s controversial police pursuit policy.

Under current Queensland law, police generally require a court order before obtaining a DNA sample from a suspect under the age of 17. Adult offenders, by comparison, can be required to provide DNA samples in a wider range of circumstances, allowing investigators to compare those samples against forensic evidence collected from crime scenes.

Mr Crisafulli said Police Minister Dan Purdie had raised the issue with government and was leading discussions about whether the current framework should be changed.

“The issue about the collection of evidence is something which Dan Purdie has raised,” the Premier said.

“I’m open-minded to it, very open-minded to it.”

The proposal has received strong backing from Queensland Police Union president Shane Prior, who argued that repeat youth offenders should be treated the same as adults when it comes to forensic identification.

“If you are old enough to go out in the community and commit crimes in the community, then you’re old enough to have your DNA recorded,” Mr Prior said.

He argued that DNA collection is already a routine investigative tool in serious adult criminal investigations and that extending similar powers to juvenile offenders would assist police in solving crimes more efficiently.

The union says its objective is to eliminate what it describes as the “disparity” between adult and youth offenders rather than create an entirely new investigative power.

If adopted, Queensland would become the first Australian jurisdiction to introduce routine DNA collection powers for youth offenders on the scale proposed by the police union.

The discussions form part of the Crisafulli Government’s broader youth crime agenda, which has centred on its “Adult Crime, Adult Time” reforms introduced after the Liberal National Party won government.

Earlier this year, the government expanded the list of offences subject to those laws, increasing the number of serious crimes for which young offenders can face adult-style sentencing. The government has argued that stronger penalties are necessary to restore community confidence and better protect victims of crime.

Alongside DNA reform, the government is also examining whether Queensland’s police pursuit policy should be rewritten.

Current pursuit guidelines, introduced after a series of fatal crashes more than a decade ago, restrict officers from pursuing fleeing vehicles unless strict safety criteria are satisfied.

Police representatives argue those restrictions have unintentionally encouraged some offenders to flee because they believe police will abandon pursuits.

The Queensland Police Union has proposed changes that would make drivers who flee police responsible for any injuries or damage resulting from pursuits while protecting officers from criminal liability arising from those incidents.

The union has also called for broader authority to use tactics such as boxing in stationary vehicles when suspects are believed to have committed indictable offences.

Mr Crisafulli said police should not be forced to hesitate when carrying out their duties.

He said the government wanted officers to have greater confidence that they could respond appropriately without constantly second-guessing whether existing policy would later expose them to disciplinary consequences.

While the Premier did not outline the precise form any policy changes might take, he indicated reforms were likely following further consultation with police leadership and government agencies.

The proposals have, however, attracted criticism from legal and human rights advocates.

Debbie Kilroy, chief executive of Sisters Inside, argued the proposal risks treating children as permanent criminal suspects rather than recognising their legal protections under Queensland law.

She said the debate was not simply about improving community safety but also about preserving children’s legal rights and ensuring policing powers remain proportionate.

Critics warn that routinely storing DNA from young offenders could have lasting consequences for privacy and rehabilitation, particularly where children later avoid further offending.

Supporters counter that DNA collection is an investigative tool rather than a punishment and could assist police in solving serious offences more quickly while also excluding innocent suspects through forensic evidence.

The debate reflects wider national discussion about youth justice, particularly in Queensland, where crime committed by repeat juvenile offenders has become a major political issue over recent years.

The Crisafulli Government has consistently argued that stronger laws are necessary after campaigning heavily on community safety during the state election.

Its “Adult Crime, Adult Time” policy has already introduced tougher sentencing arrangements for a range of serious offences committed by children, while additional reforms have expanded police search powers and strengthened responses to repeat offenders.

Legal experts have noted that any expansion of DNA collection powers would require careful drafting to ensure compatibility with existing safeguards governing the collection, storage and use of forensic information.

Questions also remain about which offences would qualify, whether judicial oversight would still be required in some circumstances, how long DNA profiles could be retained, and whether the information could be entered into statewide or national forensic databases.

At this stage, the Queensland Government has not released draft legislation, and no final decision has been announced.

Instead, ministers say discussions with police, legal advisers and other stakeholders are continuing before any formal reforms are introduced to Parliament.

If legislation proceeds, the proposed changes are likely to become another significant milestone in Queensland’s increasingly robust approach to youth justice—an approach welcomed by many victims’ advocates and police representatives but criticised by organisations concerned about children’s rights, proportionality and long-term rehabilitation.