The Youth Advocacy Centre says its bail-support work in Cairns will close after it was not selected for funding under Queensland’s new Risk Response Bail program. The organisation told ABC Far North on 28 October that it had supported young people in Cairns and Yarrabah with local partners since 2019.

The Queensland Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support lists Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation as the Cairns provider for the new statewide program. The department says the program will operate through 13 hubs and help young people aged 10 to 17 and their families understand bail conditions and connect with support services.

YAC has criticised the funding decision and raised concerns about reduced early intervention support. The department rejected the suggestion that organisations were excluded for criticising government policy, telling ABC that funded providers best aligned with the new program’s objectives and requirements. The published provider list confirms a Cairns hub, but does not set out how individual cases will transfer.

Sources: ABC Far North, 28 October 2026: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-28/far-north-queensland-local-news-briefing/107317432 ; Queensland Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support: https://www.youthjustice.qld.gov.au/programs-initiatives/initiatives/risk-response-bail-program

The featured image is an AI-generated conceptual illustration of an empty support room. It is not a photograph of an actual service, court or young person.