Minister for Education, Children and Youth Roger Jaensch needs to state unequivocally when Ashley Youth Detention Centre will close and when a new facility will be built.
While Labor acknowledges that the government is committed to closing Ashley Youth Detention Centre as soon as possible, the Rockliff Government has been slow to act to protect our youth.
The Commissioners’ findings about the scale of the failures of the centre are absolutely shocking and a gross violation against Tasmanian children.
Rather than unveiling measures to address the systematic failures of the centre or announce an immediate date for the closure of Ashley, Minister Jaensch said a new justice centre would not be available for another two years, and that no design work and planning has been completed.
Instead, Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced yesterday that electronic access, additional CCTV cameras and the trial of body-work cameras would be put in place at the centre, doing little to improve resourcing and support for staff so that they can support youth safely and therapeutically.
This is not nearly close enough to deal with the gravity of the issues plaguing Ashley.
Premier Rockliff and Minister Jaensch must outline when work will start of the change management process recommended by the inquiry to address these issues and a timeline on when Ashley will be closed and youth moved to a more therapeutic model of rehabilitation.
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Children and Youth
