Child Safety and Youth Justice workers to rally at Parliament as Government fails to deliver new offer
Together Union
Key Facts:Rally details
When: Thursday 29 October 2026. Stop work from 12 noon, rally at 3pm
Doorstop: 2:30pm AEST
Where: Front steps of Queensland Parliament House, corner of George and Alice Streets, Brisbane
Who: Child Safety and Youth Justice workers from across Queensland
Interviews: Together Assistant Secretary Dee Spink and frontline delegates (subject to confirmation)
Hundreds of workers from across Queensland to stop work on Thursday as protracted negotiations and new bail laws put pressure on frontline services
Child Safety and Youth Justice workers from across south east Queensland will stop work on Thursday and converge on Parliament House in Brisbane, demanding a fair offer and urgent action on workforce shortages, excessive workloads and the resources needed to protect vulnerable children and young people.
Hundreds of workers will stop work from noon before rallying on the front steps of Parliament House at 3pm, while MPs are sitting inside.
The rally follows months of protected industrial action, with Together saying the Queensland Government has failed to put a new offer on the table to address the issues driving experienced workers out of critical frontline services.
After taking their concerns to MPs’ electorate offices, union members will now take them to Parliament itself, with buses running from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Ipswich and across Brisbane.
Together Assistant Secretary Dee Spink said workers were escalating their action because the Government had failed to address the concerns they had repeatedly raised.
“Workers have walked off the job, taken their concerns directly to MPs and spent months trying to get the Government to address the problems putting children, young people and frontline staff at risk,” Ms Spink said.
“Now they’re coming together on the steps of Parliament because there is still no new offer to settle this dispute.
“These are workers who would much rather be doing their jobs than standing outside Parliament. But they cannot keep quietly holding together systems that are already under enormous pressure.”
Following recent stop work action across Queensland, the Departments have moved negotiations into conciliation. Together delegates and representatives have been negotiating with the government since March.
The rally comes a day after the Crisafulli Government released its first three-month progress update on the Child Safety Commission of Inquiry reforms, reporting seven recommendations completed or underway.
“There is a difference between announcing reform and delivering it. Without enough experienced workers and the resources to put these reforms into practice, nothing will change for the children and families who need support,” Ms Spink said.
“The Government can resolve this dispute by coming back with a fair offer that addresses the issues workers have been raising for months.”
Child Safety Officers have reported managing caseloads of 30 or more children, almost double the agreed safe caseload of around 16, while more than 100 positions remain vacant.
Youth Justice workers have also warned that experienced staff are leaving for better-classified positions elsewhere in the public sector, placing additional pressure on the services responsible for supervising young people, supporting families and addressing offending behaviour.
More than 63 Youth Justice Case Workers and 22 Youth Workers positions remain vacant. The union has revealed that Mount Isa’s Youth Justice Service Centre lost employees with a combined 50 years of Youth Justice experience in just 12 months.
The rally coincides with parliamentary debate on the Government’s Breach Bail, Go to Jail legislation. The Premier has acknowledged the laws will “put pressure on the system”, and Together warns that pressure will fall on a youth justice workforce that is already stretched.
“The Government is passing laws that will increase pressure on the very services our members are struggling to keep running,” Ms Spink said.
“You cannot keep adding responsibilities to an already stretched workforce without providing the staff, resources and experience needed to deliver them.
“Community safety doesn’t end when someone is arrested or sentenced. It depends on what happens next, and whether there are experienced workers available to supervise young people, work with families and prevent further offending.”
Together is calling on the Government to provide a fair offer addressing workloads, attraction and retention, and the resources needed to deliver meaningful child safety and youth justice reform.
“The Premier and his Government need to take responsibility for resolving this dispute,” Ms Spink said.
“Thursday’s rally is a message from frontline workers across Queensland: they cannot keep being asked to do more without the support to do it safely.”
Contact details:
Amy Price, 0437 027 156