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Queensland’s youth justice department has halted its search for providers to run three crime prevention schools – a key part of the Crisafulli government’s election pledge to tackle youth crime.
The decision, outlined in an email obtained by this masthead, leaves the Gold Coast-based Men of Business Academy as the only organisation picked to run one of the schools for disengaged and at-risk youth.
Men of Business was also involved in selection panels for the other schools, which have wrapped up without more providers being chosen, a source with knowledge of the process unauthorised to speak publicly said.
The Labor opposition has seized on the development as a broken election promise, as the government insisted the three other schools would still be enrolling students to attend next year.
Before the 2024 state election, the Crisafulli LNP vowed to set up four new or expanded schools in Ipswich, Rockhampton, Townsville and on the Gold Coast under its “making Queensland safer plan”.
Men of Business, which already operated a year 11 and 12 trade-focused school in Southport, was named at the time as the proposed Gold Coast provider of what was then described as a “crime early intervention school”. It would be given funding to expand into years 7, 8, 9 and 10.
That funding was allocated to Men of Business in last year’s budget. Expressions of interest for the other three sites were opened for a month in August.
The tender process featured specific requirements, including that any successful applicants agreed to start services within nine months of signing a contract.
Last month, the entire process was put to a stop. In an email obtained by this masthead, a department representative said a decision had been made to end the existing procurement process, as the election promise could not be delivered within the required timeframes and funding envelope.
A new procurement strategy was said to be under consideration, but no information about it has yet been made public.
In response to this masthead’s questions, a department spokesperson said the three new schools were subject to ongoing procurement, with enrolments opening this year for classes in the 2027 school year.
The department has not detailed the nature of Men of Business’ involvement in the now-dumped selection process.
In a statement to this masthead in late February, a department spokesperson said all processes were undertaken in accordance with government procurement policies.
Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber said in a written response that the three new schools would still be delivered, “harnessing the success” of Men of Business.
“The schools are on track to start taking enrolments later this year, just like we promised,” she said.
Labor’s youth justice spokesperson Di Farmer said: “David Crisafulli promised gold standard early intervention but he has broken that promise and now it’s all falling apart.”
Men of Business was yet to respond to questions about how it was involved in the dumped selection process.
Since the election, the organisation has hired the son-in-law of government MP Ray Stevens, Cliff Powys, as its head of academy.
This masthead does not suggest any wrongdoing by Stevens, Powys, or Men of Business.
The LNP also went to the election promising two youth justice schools for 12- to 17-year-olds on court orders in the state’s south-east and north. Ohana for Youth will run both.
While $40 million has been allocated by the government, only a site for the south-east school – in Logan Central – has been finalised. It was expected to begin operations at the start of 2027.
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