AWU secretary Stacey Schinnerl says government needs to act on detention staff shortages

The union representing youth detention workers says ‘blind Freddie’ could see the state’s new youth crime laws will increase the number of young offenders behind bars, but not enough has been done to keep up with demand.

Australian Workers Union stacey schinnerl

The union representing youth detention workers says there is no way to keep up with the demand adult crime, adult time laws will put on the industry without extra capacity.

Scant funding for youth detention upgrades across Queensland in the state budget has raised alarm bells at the Australian Workers Union, which represents much of the staff who work in facilities like Cleveland Youth Detention Centre.

While the new Woodford detention centre has been allocated funding, there is little to no funding for other centres in the state budget – outside maintenance and running costs.

AWU Queensland branch secretary Stacey Schinnerl told the Bulletin that ‘blind Freddie’ could see increased capacity was required.

She said the government needed to seriously consider staffing measures and expanding capacity in centres across the state to keep up with the number of offenders in detention, and the length of their stay.

(L-R) Member for Townsville Adam Baillie and Minister for Youth Justice and Corrective Services Laura Gerber and Member for Thuringowa at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre

Ms Schinnerl said in November, Youth Justice Minister Laura Gerber had promised to put together a “comprehensive” staffing plan for the centre, but it was yet to be delivered.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that young offenders were being given shorter sentences, despite the adult crime, adult time laws, because of capacity issues at CYDC.

“In the absence of that, I just don’t know what forward planning is happening at a ministerial level,” Ms Schinnerl said.

She said there was “likely to be an influx” of youth in detention due to the adult crime, adult time legislation.

“What we were waiting for in the budget was some indication that these things are being planned for, and we just have not received that,” Ms Schinnerl said.

Ultimately, she said, capacity was the biggest issue facing the industry.

In their final term, Labor announced a new youth detention centre in Cairns, but no planning or modelling has occurred under the new government.

Ms Schinnerl said realistically it would take three and a half years for a new detention centre to come online.

“Even when that comes online, if it is to come online, the capacity at the one centre probably is not going to be enough to cope with what is the likely influx of detainees,” she said.

“If you can take the government at their word, the intention, very clearly, is to have young people serving longer sentences in youth detention.

“I think there has been some indication recently that they’re hoping that the increase in sentencing will act as a deterrent and the young offenders won’t be offending the same numbers.

“I think we’re living in a fairy land in that regard. It may deter some young people, but not all.

“There is always going to be a need for detention.”

Australian Workers Union stacey schinnerl

Ms Schinnerl said because of this, the lack of planning around facilities and staffing was a “missed opportunity” and a “disservice” to the workers at youth detention centres.

She added that “blind Freddie” would see that increased capacity was needed.

Ms Schinnerl said while the new detention centre at Woodford was “well underway” and Wacol had been stood up to help capacity issues in the watch-house, it wasn’t a long-term solution.

She said the only way to keep staff safe was to increase capacity.

While the state did not invest in youth justice facilities, it did pump cash into diversion programs, including two Youth Justice Schools for children on youth justice orders and two circuit breaker programs, a court-ordered intensive rehabilitation program as an alternative to detention.

It’s understood that 17 new youth workers have joined staff totals at Cleveland over the last month, while workers from the southeast are being encouraged to take a secondment to the struggling facility.

Laura Gerber Question Time at parliament. Tuesday June 24, 2025. Picture, John Gass

Youth Justice and Victim Support minister Laura Gerber said that a workforce plan was ‘under review’ when asked about the government’s progress.

“The Crisafulli Government is delivering the fresh start Queenslanders voted for, including recently opening the new Wacol Youth Remand Centre, as we work towards fixing Labor’s mess and restoring safety to our communities.

“It’s going to take time to fix a decade of Labor’s neglect, but a workforce plan is under review and I’m determined to give our workers the laws and resources they need to keep our community safe.”

In parliament last week, Opposition Youth Justice spokeswoman Di Farmer said the lac of funding “increases the uncertainty” for detention centre staff that do “vital work in dangerous circumstances”.

Originally published as AWU secretary Stacey Schinnerl says government needs to act on detention staff shortages