Qld's breach bail laws set to pass parliament next week

In short:

The Queensland government's controversial breach bail laws are expected to pass state parliament next week, Premier David Crisafulli says.

Mr Crisafulli has used an address at the Queensland Press Club to spruik his government's measures aimed at cracking down on youth crime as the LNP approaches two years in office.

What's next?

Mr Crisafulli acknowledged that the changes would "put pressure on the system" but said he would "choose the safety of Queenslanders".

Controversial laws that will see repeat offenders in Queensland, including children, who commit a serious offence on bail face a minimum one-year jail sentence will pass parliament next week, the premier says.

Speaking today at the Queensland Press Club, David Crisafulli admitted the changes will "put pressure" on the system.

The premier used his speech to spruik his government's measures aimed at cracking down on youth crime as the LNP approaches two years in office.

Outside, unions rallied against the government's proposed shake-up to industrial relations laws, which would strengthen the test for psychological injury claims for workers and give the minister the power to terminate strike action.

The proposed laws introduce a standalone offence for breaching bail and carry a maximum sentence of three years in jail.

It also includes the introduction of a new test, requiring courts or police to deny bail unless they are satisfied "to a high degree of confidence" that a person will not reoffend.

The new offence and new bail threshold apply to youths who commit, or are charged with, an Adult Crime, Adult Time offence, with additional offences captured for adults.

Advocates have raised concerns the proposed laws will expose more children to inhumane conditions, increase pressure on jails and courts, worsen reoffending rates, and target First Nations people.

The government has accepted that the Human Rights Act will need to be overridden to implement the laws.

Mr Crisafulli acknowledged that the changes would "put pressure on the system" but said right now the pressure is on Queenslanders.

"Faced with the choice of people being able to roam free and maraud and create destruction or, having extra people in a cell, I'll always choose the safety of Queenslanders," he said.

Mr Crisafulli said while there would be "initial pressure" on the court system, he believes in the long term it will be a way of "curbing behaviour" and reduce that pressure in time.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles said Labor would support the laws in parliament on the basis that "people who commit offences while on bail should face harsher consequences".

However, Mr Miles said the government needed to plan for the impact the changes would have on the state's prisons, youth detention centres and watch houses.

"We remain deeply concerned that more police will get assaulted in our watch houses, more youth detention workers will get assaulted in our youth detention centres because of the impacts of overcrowding and this government's flat refusal to plan to deliver the capacity for that overcrowding," he said.

Proposed union-busting powers 'outrageous'

Under the government's proposed legislation, protected industrial action could be terminated if it would threaten to endanger the life, personal safety, health or welfare or cause significant damage to the state's economy.

Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Jacqueline King said it was "outrageous" to give an individual the power to stop protected industrial action.

"The reason why we have independent tribunals is so these issues can be tested [and] that workers have a right to actually argue their case," she said.

"This is something that should never be given to just one person."

Mr Crisafulli said while the unions should have their say, he believed the government's proposal was a balanced approach.

The changes are in response to an independent report, with the government accepting in full 74 of its 105 recommendations.

Ms King said the unions held concerns that changes to workplace laws could lead to a rise in workplace-related injuries and potentially deaths.

"Workers' safety and workers' protections when they are injured at work are and should be non-negotiable," she said.

Mr Crisafulli said the changes "largely mirror" the Fair Work Act introduced by the federal Labor government under Julia Gillard.

"We have to make sure we strike the right balance, and that includes making sure that someone can have certainty of getting the services they need," he said.

Mr Crisafulli said the proposed laws would allow the independent body to hear a case "free from political interference".

"It gives the right for people to be able to strike, it gives the right for people to be able to have their say, and equally, it gives the right for the government to say … there's an independent umpire over to you, make the decision."