Queensland Youth Detention Centres: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk reveals government ‘looking at’ new facilities

The Premier has been unable to offer more details on her shock announcement that the state government was planning to build a fourth youth detention centre.

Queensland’s future youth detention centre would have “wraparound services” for disaffected children and be “closer to families” so they can visit, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said.

But little detail remains on the apparent new move to build a fourth youth detention centre somewhere in the state, with Ms Palaszczuk making the seeming off-the-cuff announcement on Tuesday.

Speaking before a meeting of cabinet, Ms Palaszczuk said the idea had been borne out of discussions with the youth justice minister and the government wanted to consult with the community before more details were released.

She said there was money set aside in the budget, but wouldn’t say how much.

“We are still working through the details and of course we’ve got to do community consultation as to where could be a suitable site, so early days,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed Queensland is “looking at” expanding its youth detention facilities. Photo Steve Pohlner

A line item in the 2020/21 state budget set aside $5.7m for a detailed business case into “youth detention centre capacity”.

During a press conference at the Kaban Green Energy Hub, 100km southwest of Cairns, Ms Palaszczuk said she understood the community’s “frustrations” and “concerns” about youth offending.

She said the government had $500m “on the table” for youth justice – though it is unclear if the money is new funds yet to be allocated.

“We are looking at expanding youth justice detention, we’re even considering a youth justice centre here in Cairns,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard said Cairns was “one of several sites” across Queensland being considered as a “possible location for another detention centre”.

“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,” Ms Linard said.

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

The Brisbane Youth Detention Centre at Wacol. Picture: Glenn Hunt/Getty Images

Change the Record, a coalition of First Nations-led legal, health and family violence prevention experts, slammed the state government’s position as “extremely disturbing”.

“The goal of any good government should be supporting children and young people to grow and thrive, not locking them away,” executive officer Sophie Trevitt said.

Opposition assistant justice spokeswoman Laura Gerber said the government was “making it up as they go” on youth crime, and the announcement “smacks of policy on the run which stumbled out of a thought bubble”.

Greens MP Michael Berkman said the issue wasn’t a lack of prisons but that too many children end up in prisons, which research had shown turned young offenders into “better criminals” and enforced a cycle of reoffending.

Queensland has three prisons for children across the state – the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in Townsville, the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre in Wacol and the smaller 32-bed West Moreton Youth Detention Centre also in Wacol.

The Premier’s indication a new youth detention centre would be built in the state’s north comes as the state government is accused of shelving a crucial report into youth crime issues.

Ms Linard could not say when the youth justice review would be released, despite it being completed by former commissioner Bob Atkinson and given to the government earlier this year.

Ms Palaszczuk was also asked about the report at the press conference in Cairns, but directed questions to the Minister instead.