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Stabbing victim Vyleen’s family unleash on youth crime, demand government action

A grieving husband has accused Queensland lawmakers of failing on youth crime, saying his wife’s fatal stabbing should never have happened.

 

Mar 08, 2024, updated Mar 08, 2024
Grandmother Vyleen White. (Image: Supplied)

Grandmother Vyleen White. (Image: Supplied)

Vyleen White, 70, died after being stabbed in the chest outside a shopping centre west of Brisbane in February in a suspected carjacking, sparking an outcry against youth crime.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder.

Ms White’s husband Victor attended state parliament on Thursday, a week after his wife was farewelled by more than 100 mourners at a funeral in Brisbane.

Along with his daughter Cindy Micallef, Mr White took aim at the government.

“The Labor government of this state, every single member of the cabinet, when my wife got stabbed in the heart – they all had a hand on the knife,” he told reporters.

“If that guy had been in custody, this would never have happened.”

Ms Micallef said in her eulogy at last week’s service that her family would “get justice for mum” and “nothing will stop us until that happens”.

Mr White on Thursday called out premier Steven Miles, saying violent crimes would continue unless police were given more resources and laws were strengthened.

“Until he (Mr Miles) gives the power to the police more and more, giving them more authority to lock them up and keep them locked up, it’s a waste of time because it’ll be like fishing – catch and release all the time,” he said.

Mr Miles had met with the White family after the tragedy and acknowledged them as they sat in parliament’s gallery on Thursday.

“Can I acknowledge Victor and Cindy … in the gallery today and if they would like to meet with me after question time I’m of course happy to meet with them,” he said.

Mr White had previously called on the state government to address youth crime in the wake of his wife’s tragic death.

The premier was quizzed about this in question time by the LNP opposition on Thursday, with shadow attorney-general Tim Nicholls asking if Mr White was correct to say similar crimes would continue until laws were changed.

Mr Miles indicated he would take further advice from the courts and police on reforms before accusing the opposition of politicising the White tragedy.

He said current laws had led to an increase in the detention of youths and adults, and the government would consider recommendations from a bipartisan committee looking into further measures.

“We created that committee in good faith … to take some of the politics out of this,” the premier told parliament.

“I’m sick of seeing awful tragedies politicised in this place.

“We will consider carefully those recommendations as well as any other changes requested of us by the police commissioner.”

Ms Micallef said reform was necessary or more families would be devastated by youth crime.

“This has been going on for too long,” she told reporters.

“They’re like a migration of ants – you get them in one area and they’re just going to spread somewhere else.

“They are going to avoid the hotspots where police are. They are not stupid.

“You need to clamp down and change the laws to let them know this is not acceptable.”

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