❓ The Minister for Corrective Services confirms the relocation of juvenile detainees from Hakea Prison to Banksia Hill Detention Centre, highlighting infrastructure upgrades and a shift towards prevention programs with increased funding. The Minister also acknowledges the work of the new superintendent at Banksia Hill.
AnsweredQoN 670Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JUVENILE DETAINEES — BANKSIA
HILL DETENTION CENTRE
670. Mr P. ABETZ to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Can the minister please update the house on the transition of
juvenile detainees from Hakea Prison in my electorate to Banksia Hill Detention
Centre in my electorate?
HILL DETENTION CENTRE
670. Mr P. ABETZ to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
Can the minister please update the house on the transition of
juvenile detainees from Hakea Prison in my electorate to Banksia Hill Detention
Centre in my electorate?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern River for his question. He is
right, both of these facilities are next to each other and in his electorate,
and I acknowledge his continued interest in and concern about what happens
within the walls of both Hakea and Banksia Hill. I take this opportunity to
inform the house that, as of yesterday, the juvenile detainees who remained in
Hakea have now been relocated back to Banksia Hill and there are no longer any
juveniles whatsoever left in Hakea. As I have always said, the transition of
these detainees back to Banksia Hill was going to take a bit of time because it
had to be done properly, carefully and sustainably. A number of things were
required, based on recommendations of the report from the Inspector of Custodial
Services and also recommendations from the union that covers youth custodial
workers, which were to provide upgrades to the infrastructure within Banksia
Hill. Some of those upgrades related to the hardening of the infrastructure,
but we did not want it to end up looking like a prison because it is a facility
for juveniles. There were also upgrades to some of the courses, the programs
and the services provided to those juveniles. I place on the record my
appreciation of the new superintendent at Banksia Hill, Jaide Lancaster. She is
doing a wonderful job in organising all of the interested parties that have to
work with these juveniles. She is doing a brilliant job in managing that and so
far things seem to be going swimmingly. The juveniles are back at Banksia Hill
and all is going well so far.
I also make a point about where the focus will now change. I
expect the attention and the focus of the Department of Corrective Services
within the juvenile sector to now more closely move back towards prevention and
diversionary programs. As members will know, in this year's budget a
substantial increase has been made to the funding available for programs for
at-risk juveniles. The total amount of funding has increased by $2 million this
financial year, which has led to an increase in operations to youth diversion
services across the entire state of Western Australia. I think it is important
that we do everything we can to try to stop juveniles from ending up in
detention in the first place. I thank the member for Southern River very much
for his question. I think this is a significant milestone in this regrettable
history, but all the juveniles are now back within the walls of Banksia Hill
and the staff are getting on and doing their job.
right, both of these facilities are next to each other and in his electorate,
and I acknowledge his continued interest in and concern about what happens
within the walls of both Hakea and Banksia Hill. I take this opportunity to
inform the house that, as of yesterday, the juvenile detainees who remained in
Hakea have now been relocated back to Banksia Hill and there are no longer any
juveniles whatsoever left in Hakea. As I have always said, the transition of
these detainees back to Banksia Hill was going to take a bit of time because it
had to be done properly, carefully and sustainably. A number of things were
required, based on recommendations of the report from the Inspector of Custodial
Services and also recommendations from the union that covers youth custodial
workers, which were to provide upgrades to the infrastructure within Banksia
Hill. Some of those upgrades related to the hardening of the infrastructure,
but we did not want it to end up looking like a prison because it is a facility
for juveniles. There were also upgrades to some of the courses, the programs
and the services provided to those juveniles. I place on the record my
appreciation of the new superintendent at Banksia Hill, Jaide Lancaster. She is
doing a wonderful job in organising all of the interested parties that have to
work with these juveniles. She is doing a brilliant job in managing that and so
far things seem to be going swimmingly. The juveniles are back at Banksia Hill
and all is going well so far.
I also make a point about where the focus will now change. I
expect the attention and the focus of the Department of Corrective Services
within the juvenile sector to now more closely move back towards prevention and
diversionary programs. As members will know, in this year's budget a
substantial increase has been made to the funding available for programs for
at-risk juveniles. The total amount of funding has increased by $2 million this
financial year, which has led to an increase in operations to youth diversion
services across the entire state of Western Australia. I think it is important
that we do everything we can to try to stop juveniles from ending up in
detention in the first place. I thank the member for Southern River very much
for his question. I think this is a significant milestone in this regrettable
history, but all the juveniles are now back within the walls of Banksia Hill
and the staff are getting on and doing their job.
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