Government proposes possible detention centre in Cairns

Cairns could be the location of “more permanent infrastructure” to deal with youth crime offenders. Read what the premier is considering.

Cairns could be the location of a new detention centre as the government looks for “more permanent infrastructure” to place the rising number of youth committing crimes.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday said the government was working on solutions.

“These are very complex issues and I do understand the community’s frustration and the community’s concern; we’ve put on extra police,” she said.

“I understand the youth justice minister was just here recently meeting with different agencies and also with the police.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Cairns as a possible location for a new detention centre. Picture: Tara Croser

“We’ve got $500m at the moment on the table, we are looking at expanding youth justice detention – we are even considering a youth justice centre here in Cairns.”

Minister for Youth Justice Leanne Linard confirmed the government was in the early planning stages.

“Queensland has the toughest bail laws for young people in the nation and this means we’re detaining more young people and we’re detaining them for longer,” she said.

“Forecasts indicate more permanent infrastructure will be needed and we are in the early planning stages.

Queensland Minister for Children and Youth Justice Leanne Linard has visited Cairns to discuss with concerned residents youth crime in Far North Queensland. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Cairns is one of several sites across Queensland being considered as a possible location for another detention centre.

“The Palaszczuk government remains firmly committed to community safety.”

Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said council had no contact from the government yet on this matter and needed more detail before being able to comment fully.

“It sounds like a good place to put a detention centre in a hotspot. But this is early commentary,” he said.

Shadow Minister for Police and Corrective Services Dale Last said he feared the announcement would amount to nothing.

“It’s all well and good to talk about spending money to address youth crime but, without the necessary legislation, very little will change,” he said.

“Young offenders are not held to account and the Youth Justice Principles still includes detention as a last resort.

“You can build as many detention centres as you like but, without the legislation backing it, we will have another example of the Wellcamp debacle.

“That is, you will have a facility built with money provided by the taxpayer sitting empty and, therefore, of little value.”

Mr Last said the Cairns community could take credit for the Labor government’s response finally to crime.

Mareeba Shire Mayor Angela Toppin said she welcomed any support from all levels of government to solve the crime rate and would wait for the formal announcment.

Originally published as Government proposes possible detention centre in Cairns