NT Corrections minister says ‘master plan’ behind kids being moved from Alice Springs to Darwin
Kids being transferred 1500km while in custody is part of the government’s ‘master plan,’ one minister says, after questions in parliament about kids in the ‘being vanished off the streets’. Find out more.
Kids being relocated 1500km in juvenile detention in the Territory is part of the government’s “master plan,” the corrections minister says, after being questioned about claims “children in Alice Springs are being vanished off the streets”.
NT Corrections minister Gerard Maley made the comments in parliament on Thursday, after independent MLA Justine Davis asked him about kids in youth detention being transferred between Alice Springs and Darwin without their parents being notified.
Ms Davis, noting there was “laughter on the other side of the chamber” after raising the topic, specifically queried if there had been a policy change around parents being notified if their child was moved while in juvenile detention.
Mr Maley shot back, telling parliament “I’m not sure what world the member for Johnson lives in”.
“People do not just vanish. If they do, report it police because I am sure that is a crime,” he said.
“These children do not just vanish and end up in jail; they go to court. The court process normally takes months. For the Member for Johnston to say that parents do not know about it – how would you not know that your child has been to court and is going through the court process over months?
“These children are not just vanishing. This is part of our master plan; we have known and publicly announced many times that there is a new Holtze detention centre”.
Ms Davis pressed Mr Maley on whether the policy had changed, to which Mr Maley spruiked the government’s work in the youth justice sector.
Mr Maley further pushed the onus onto parents – stating “it is back to personal responsibility” – but did not answer if the policy had changed.
Responding to questions, a Department of Corrections spokeswoman said a policy adopted in 2018 stated youths could not be transferred without consulting the adults involved in the youth’s welfare.
Urgent transfers due to an emergency could be expedited by the superintendent, according to the policy, but in January this year, the policy was “amended”, the spokeswoman said.
“Department of Corrections’ Youth Justice staff contact the parent/caregiver of a youth when they are remanded in a youth detention centre and advise of the transfer process. Young people are also provided an opportunity to contact family using the prisoner telephone system,” the spokeswoman said.
Youths remanded for “longer than 24-58 hours are transferred to HYDC (Holtze Youth Detention Centre) as per department policy,” according to the spokeswoman
“The Specialist Assessment and Treatment Services team provide counselling, therapeutic programs and case management. HYDC also has cultural mentors who support detainees to remain connected to family,” she said.
Late last year, the NT News exclusively reported on female inmates being transported from Alice Springs to Darwin via chartered flights as part of a series of “emergency measures”, implemented by Corrections Commissioner Matthew Varley.
As part of the CLP government’s corrections masterplan, released December last year, the NT will get an additional 3000 prison beds by 2028.
Originally published as NT Corrections minister says ‘master plan’ behind kids being moved from Alice Springs to Darwin
