Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House Queenslanders are becoming victims to ever increasing horrifying home invasions. Recently in Brisbane we saw four balaclava-clad men armed with knife and machete enter the home of a 64 year old woman and a 63 year old man in the middle of the night, pour petrol over them and threaten to set them on fire unless they handed over their valuables. They also assaulted the woman. Such stories are now common place and we need to act. Surely it is the right of every Queenslander to feel safe in their own home. It's not just our elderly who are living in fear. Pensioners, families, single mothers, students and children. All have the right to be able to not just go to bed at night knowing everyone will be safe in the morning but that all their belongings are still going to be there. We can no longer allow these atrocities to continue. Why are we protecting the guilty and placing the lives of Queenslanders at risk.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to introduce mandatory sentencing incorporating three levels of offences.  The first level for first offences without any weapons or violence –5 years jail. The second level for entering a dwelling with any form of weapon but no use of violence –15 years jail. The third level for entering a dwelling with a weapon and/or using violence –life in prison. Second offences go to the next level.