❓ Mr. Abetz questions the Minister for Corrective Services about the management of older juveniles at Banksia Hill Detention Centre. The Minister responds by defending the centre's staffing and funding levels, criticising union claims, and explaining the process for transferring detainees to adult prisons.
AnsweredQoN 573Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BANKSIA HILL DETENTION CENTRE — DETAINEE
MANAGEMENT
573. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
I note the minister's
statement to the house yesterday on the management of detainees at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre in my electorate and the comments made by the Community and
Public Sector Union–Civil Service Association of WA about 18-year-old
detainees. Can the minister please provide to the house further details on how
older juveniles are being managed at this centre?
MANAGEMENT
573. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for
Corrective Services:
I note the minister's
statement to the house yesterday on the management of detainees at Banksia Hill
Detention Centre in my electorate and the comments made by the Community and
Public Sector Union–Civil Service Association of WA about 18-year-old
detainees. Can the minister please provide to the house further details on how
older juveniles are being managed at this centre?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern
River. I know that Banksia Hill is in his electorate and that he has a keen interest
in that facility.
It is no surprise that members on
this side of the house normally have a bit of argy-bargy with some of the union
movement. Obviously, the key reason for that is that they do not control our
preselections, but that aside, I have to say that I nearly choked on my banana
last night —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is an important issue; it is about what happens to
children who turn 18-years-old when they are in detention. I have to say, I was
absolutely appalled at the comments made last night by the secretary of the
CPSU–CSA about why some juveniles, once they turn 18 years old, stay in
Banksia Hill Detention Centre. I think it is worth putting this into context
and explaining why she was absolutely wrong. I think to have an intelligent
debate about juvenile detention in this state people have to be honest.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
To suggest that there is an increase in the number of over-18-year-olds at
Banksia Hill because of staffing or funding cuts is absolutely wrong and
disingenuous. Firstly, the number of staff at Banksia Hill has increased by
over 25 per cent in the past 12 months. We now have one of the highest ratios
of staff to detainees we have ever had. We have about 1.25 staff for every
detainee. There have been no funding cuts out at Banksia Hill. We have spent
significant amounts of money out there. This week, I announced two separate
amounts of funding to help attract people who will be able to make a meaningful
difference in the lives of some very troubled people. Not only do we have the
highest ratio of staff to detainees at the moment, but also we are increasing
that even further with a massive recruitment drive underway for more youth
custodial officers. If it costs half the amount to keep an adult in an adult
prison than it does to keep people in Banksia Hill at double the cost, how can
funding be the reason for keeping people in Banksia Hill beyond their
eighteenth birthday? That is the most ridiculous proposition ever. The issue
about the number of 18-year-olds at Banksia Hill was totally misrepresented by
both the ABC and the union yesterday. Forty-three of the 46 17-year-olds who
will turn 18 years old by the end of this year will be eligible for release
before 31 December. We are talking about a very, very small cohort of people.
Putting all of that aside, the decision about when a juvenile—be they
18 or 19 years old—is transferred to an adult prison, if at all, is not
made with any of these factors in mind. That decision is made personally by
Judge Reynolds, the president of the Children's Court, who takes into
account all of these considerations: the nature of the offending, the time left
to go before release and whether anything is to be gained by putting an
18-year-old who has six months left to run into the adult prison system. The
best person to make that decision is, of course, His Honour Judge Denis
Reynolds, who has all that information in front of him. What we saw last night
was an absolutely lazy comment from a lazy union. I do not know which person is
more lazy—the spokesperson for the union or the member for Girrawheen.
It was absolutely appalling commentary by the Public Sector Union.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order for the first time. You are
complaining about noisy people.
River. I know that Banksia Hill is in his electorate and that he has a keen interest
in that facility.
It is no surprise that members on
this side of the house normally have a bit of argy-bargy with some of the union
movement. Obviously, the key reason for that is that they do not control our
preselections, but that aside, I have to say that I nearly choked on my banana
last night —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
J.M. FRANCIS : This is an important issue; it is about what happens to
children who turn 18-years-old when they are in detention. I have to say, I was
absolutely appalled at the comments made last night by the secretary of the
CPSU–CSA about why some juveniles, once they turn 18 years old, stay in
Banksia Hill Detention Centre. I think it is worth putting this into context
and explaining why she was absolutely wrong. I think to have an intelligent
debate about juvenile detention in this state people have to be honest.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS :
To suggest that there is an increase in the number of over-18-year-olds at
Banksia Hill because of staffing or funding cuts is absolutely wrong and
disingenuous. Firstly, the number of staff at Banksia Hill has increased by
over 25 per cent in the past 12 months. We now have one of the highest ratios
of staff to detainees we have ever had. We have about 1.25 staff for every
detainee. There have been no funding cuts out at Banksia Hill. We have spent
significant amounts of money out there. This week, I announced two separate
amounts of funding to help attract people who will be able to make a meaningful
difference in the lives of some very troubled people. Not only do we have the
highest ratio of staff to detainees at the moment, but also we are increasing
that even further with a massive recruitment drive underway for more youth
custodial officers. If it costs half the amount to keep an adult in an adult
prison than it does to keep people in Banksia Hill at double the cost, how can
funding be the reason for keeping people in Banksia Hill beyond their
eighteenth birthday? That is the most ridiculous proposition ever. The issue
about the number of 18-year-olds at Banksia Hill was totally misrepresented by
both the ABC and the union yesterday. Forty-three of the 46 17-year-olds who
will turn 18 years old by the end of this year will be eligible for release
before 31 December. We are talking about a very, very small cohort of people.
Putting all of that aside, the decision about when a juvenile—be they
18 or 19 years old—is transferred to an adult prison, if at all, is not
made with any of these factors in mind. That decision is made personally by
Judge Reynolds, the president of the Children's Court, who takes into
account all of these considerations: the nature of the offending, the time left
to go before release and whether anything is to be gained by putting an
18-year-old who has six months left to run into the adult prison system. The
best person to make that decision is, of course, His Honour Judge Denis
Reynolds, who has all that information in front of him. What we saw last night
was an absolutely lazy comment from a lazy union. I do not know which person is
more lazy—the spokesperson for the union or the member for Girrawheen.
It was absolutely appalling commentary by the Public Sector Union.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order for the first time. You are
complaining about noisy people.
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