❓ Minister addresses steps to improve Banksia Hill and Unit 18, criticising opposition's proposed solutions as unsafe and disruptive to progress made at Banksia Hill.
AnsweredQoN 820Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BANKSIA HILL DETENTION CENTRE AND UNIT 18,
CASUARINA PRISON
820. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to
improving our state's youth justice system without risking community
safety.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house what steps
this government is taking to enhance the management of Banksia Hill Detention
Centre and unit 18 at Casuarina Prison while maintaining the security of these facilities?
(2) Can the
minister inform the house whether he is aware of any other proposals in our
state's youth custodial system?
CASUARINA PRISON
820. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to
improving our state's youth justice system without risking community
safety.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house what steps
this government is taking to enhance the management of Banksia Hill Detention
Centre and unit 18 at Casuarina Prison while maintaining the security of these facilities?
(2) Can the
minister inform the house whether he is aware of any other proposals in our
state's youth custodial system?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for his question. I want to bring to the house's
attention some of the content of the debate yesterday during the matter of
public interest that may have escaped some people. I also want to bring the Western
Australian public's attention to some of the information that was
revealed or confirmed during that debate.
With
respect to what we are doing to improve juvenile detention and outcomes in
juvenile detention, as I said yesterday, the Premier and I announced a range of
measures in June that are being implemented. Primarily, we are conducting an
infrastructure review of all the juvenile estate. We are increasing the number
of youth custodial officers in both
Banksia Hill and unit 18 detention facilities and, in the near term, we are
employing additional prison officers at those sites to assist with the
provision of security and achieve better outcomes.
We are working with Derbal
Yerrigan Health Service to get an Aboriginal health provider in the system to
assist in enhancing additional health measures and provision. We are working to
get the Telethon Kids Institute back into the place to resume its own research
and primarily focus on helping us get refined measures for individuals. We are
creating an Aboriginal mentor scheme involving elders and others who can assist
in mentoring staff and juveniles.
Beyond
that, we have requested that the agency cease the rapid shuttling of juveniles
between Banksia Hill and unit 18 and give some stability. There is a process
by which juveniles can come back from unit 18, but they are essentially the
most complex, challenging and very often dangerous and violent individuals so they are housed in the most suitable
accommodation that we have at the moment. The only place that is suitable
at the moment is unit 18. They can return subject to a multidisciplinary team
analysis and assessment. That is all going on.
Banksia
Hill is far improved to the extent that the opposition, after only six months
ago demanding that we shut Banksia Hill immediately, is demanding that we shift
everyone from unit 18 to Banksia Hill. That is an unspoken compliment and
recognition of the success in improving Banksia Hill. As I said, people like
the President of the Children's Court have acknowledged Banksia Hill is
far improved. Unit 18 is not yet what we want. However, it is the only place
suitable for housing that difficult and very complex and challenging cohort,
which is only small; I think 10 today or perhaps 11. That is the only suitable
accommodation.
I wanted to bring to the attention
of the public that during the debate yesterday, the Liberal Party made clear
what it will do in the event that it becomes the government. It is calling on
us to immediately shut unit 18 and move the
detainees. That demand represents only two options. One is that we let them out
back into the community. These juveniles have been deemed too unsafe to
be in the community by the courts. That is one option. The only other option is
to return them to Banksia Hill. We know the Liberal Party's plan for that is to house them in demountables, as
stated by the Liberal Party's spokesperson. On 23 October , he
said, according to my notes —
You can develop a temporary
facility at Banksia Hill at the moment—you can—and segregate
the cohort of juveniles.
He said that to Channel Nine news.
He also spoke on the same day to James Carmody of the ABC and Anne-Maree
Leonard of Network 10. He held a press conference down in the fern garden and
said on a couple of occasions, ''You can return unit 18 juveniles to
Banksia Hill Detention Centre, segregating them by using demountables.''
That is the Liberal Party spokesperson. That is the Liberal Party's
proposal. In the event that the Liberal Party becomes the government at the
next election, it will immediately close unit 18 and let the most dangerous and
threatening juveniles into the community or let them back into Banksia Hill and destroy any progress that has
been made to provide a safe environment, better rehabilitation and
better outcomes for youth as they return to the community.
I thank the member for his question. I want to bring to the house's
attention some of the content of the debate yesterday during the matter of
public interest that may have escaped some people. I also want to bring the Western
Australian public's attention to some of the information that was
revealed or confirmed during that debate.
With
respect to what we are doing to improve juvenile detention and outcomes in
juvenile detention, as I said yesterday, the Premier and I announced a range of
measures in June that are being implemented. Primarily, we are conducting an
infrastructure review of all the juvenile estate. We are increasing the number
of youth custodial officers in both
Banksia Hill and unit 18 detention facilities and, in the near term, we are
employing additional prison officers at those sites to assist with the
provision of security and achieve better outcomes.
We are working with Derbal
Yerrigan Health Service to get an Aboriginal health provider in the system to
assist in enhancing additional health measures and provision. We are working to
get the Telethon Kids Institute back into the place to resume its own research
and primarily focus on helping us get refined measures for individuals. We are
creating an Aboriginal mentor scheme involving elders and others who can assist
in mentoring staff and juveniles.
Beyond
that, we have requested that the agency cease the rapid shuttling of juveniles
between Banksia Hill and unit 18 and give some stability. There is a process
by which juveniles can come back from unit 18, but they are essentially the
most complex, challenging and very often dangerous and violent individuals so they are housed in the most suitable
accommodation that we have at the moment. The only place that is suitable
at the moment is unit 18. They can return subject to a multidisciplinary team
analysis and assessment. That is all going on.
Banksia
Hill is far improved to the extent that the opposition, after only six months
ago demanding that we shut Banksia Hill immediately, is demanding that we shift
everyone from unit 18 to Banksia Hill. That is an unspoken compliment and
recognition of the success in improving Banksia Hill. As I said, people like
the President of the Children's Court have acknowledged Banksia Hill is
far improved. Unit 18 is not yet what we want. However, it is the only place
suitable for housing that difficult and very complex and challenging cohort,
which is only small; I think 10 today or perhaps 11. That is the only suitable
accommodation.
I wanted to bring to the attention
of the public that during the debate yesterday, the Liberal Party made clear
what it will do in the event that it becomes the government. It is calling on
us to immediately shut unit 18 and move the
detainees. That demand represents only two options. One is that we let them out
back into the community. These juveniles have been deemed too unsafe to
be in the community by the courts. That is one option. The only other option is
to return them to Banksia Hill. We know the Liberal Party's plan for that is to house them in demountables, as
stated by the Liberal Party's spokesperson. On 23 October , he
said, according to my notes —
You can develop a temporary
facility at Banksia Hill at the moment—you can—and segregate
the cohort of juveniles.
He said that to Channel Nine news.
He also spoke on the same day to James Carmody of the ABC and Anne-Maree
Leonard of Network 10. He held a press conference down in the fern garden and
said on a couple of occasions, ''You can return unit 18 juveniles to
Banksia Hill Detention Centre, segregating them by using demountables.''
That is the Liberal Party spokesperson. That is the Liberal Party's
proposal. In the event that the Liberal Party becomes the government at the
next election, it will immediately close unit 18 and let the most dangerous and
threatening juveniles into the community or let them back into Banksia Hill and destroy any progress that has
been made to provide a safe environment, better rehabilitation and
better outcomes for youth as they return to the community.
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