POLICE have put a damper on a state and federal government squabble over funding for a project for at-risk young people in Queensland.
While Redlands MP Kim Richards said it was scandalous the federal government had stopped funding Project Booyah, federal MP Andrew Laming fired back saying it was a state-funded police program that had sought one-off federal funds.
A police spokesperson said there were no major implications of the federal grant coming to an end for the Redlands program, which had not been included in the federal funding.
“Project Booyah has been operating in the Capalaba and bayside area continually since 2015 and will continue to operate with the new program to commence in August,” the spokesperson said.
“Project Booyah, in partnership with PCYC, are grateful for the non-recurrent federal grant … that allowed the support and enhancement of the Project Booyah model during the funding agreement period.”
Ms Richards said Booyah was an internationally recognised intervention program.
“It is making Redlands a safer place by steering vulnerable young people away from crime and turning lives around,” she said.
“This program does a fantastic job directing them back into education, training and employment and away from offending or re-offending.
“It is scandalous for the federal government to pull its support and for LNP state MPs to sit on their hands.”
Ms Richards said state LNP MPs should to tell their colleagues in Canberra to restore funding support.
“This issue is far too important to play political games,” Ms Richards said.
Mr Laming said Booyah had neither complained, nor reapplied for federal funding.
“This is an entirely Queensland Police program, with ongoing state funding, that occasionally elects to seek one-off federal funds,” Mr Laming said.
“A new round of Stronger Community funding is due in September and I hope Booyah will again apply.”
Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said it was disappointing the state government had sought to politicise the situation.
“...They knew that this specific (funding) program was not ongoing and that a new opportunity was opening up,” Mr Robinson said.
“Sadly, the state Labor government will say and do anything to divert attention from the failed state budget that extends the current big ticket infrastructure freeze in the Redlands to seven years.”
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the state government had invested $7.4 million over five years to deliver Project Booyah in nine locations – Cairns, Townsville, Mount Isa, Redlands, Logan, Gold Coast, Pine Rivers, Redcliffe and Rockhampton – where youth crime is an issue.
“The federal LNP government provided additional funding to Project Booyah under its Framing the Future Program that funded the employment of youth workers who’ve played a critical role in the program’s success,” Mr Ryan said. “It was extremely disappointing to see that federal funding not renewed this year.”
