Children in Australia could face life imprisonment – The Guardian.

Debates have arisen in Australia regarding new harsh laws on youth crime. The laws allow for the conviction of children as young as 10 years old to life imprisonment. This was reported by The Guardian.

Prime Minister David Crisafulli proposed a bill to the Queensland parliament on November 28. This was the first bill submitted by the new government.

Queensland Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall protested against such laws, stating that they restrict children's rights and that the state is under threat to its international reputation.

Under the new laws, 10-year-old children can be sentenced to life imprisonment for 13 different crimes, including unlawful use of a vehicle and breaking and entering to commit an offense. For the five most serious offenses such as murder, grievous bodily harm, robbery, and armed robbery, children could also be sentenced to life imprisonment. If they are convicted of murder, they will receive a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years without the possibility of parole.

Commissioner McDougall was particularly outraged by the new rule that allows children to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

“We are talking about 4th-grade children. We are talking about children who still have baby teeth. We are talking about treating them and placing on them the same moral blame that we place on adults,” said McDougall.

Furthermore, he added that it is necessary to distinguish between children and adults. If society does not do this, then “it has gone astray.”

Additionally

The Australian government plans to pass a law prohibiting children under 16 from using social media. This was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. However, social media platforms will bear responsibility for violations of these prohibitions, not the users, and there are no fines for them.