Youth residential facilities underused, confused, and ‘in disarray’, says CLP

Ten beds in Alice Springs’ only youth bail and curfew accommodation are sitting empty, with the CLP accusing the government of ‘glaring mismanagement’ leaving key resources unused.

Only two of 12 beds are currently being used at a residential bail facility also being used for alternative curfew accommodation in Alice Springs.

Plans for new youth residential facilities in the Territory are “in disarray”, leaving existing services underused and confusion rife, the opposition says.

According to the CLP only two young people are currently staying at Alice Springs’ only supported bail accommodation, Saltbush Social Enterprise, while 10 beds sit empty.

The NT News can also reveal that a new youth justice facility announced for Alice Springs will be Saltbush, which has already been operating in the town for years.

While Saltbush’s Alice Springs contract was extended for 12 months, the government has not renewed its tender to operate bail accommodation in Darwin.

At the same time, the Alice Springs facility is serving as the alternative accommodation option for youths found breaching the town’s curfew who cannot be returned to “a safe place”, but police say no young people have been taken there since the emergency measures were implemented last week.

Ten beds for youths on bail are currently empty at Saltbush Alice Springs. Pic: Lee Robinson

Shadow Territory Families Minister Josh Burgoyne accused the government of “causing chaos” with its “glaring mismanagement”.

“Why is the bail accommodation not being utilised under Labor?” he said.

“Youth offenders keep being let out to commit more crime when they should be in this facility.

“The current safe sleeping arrangements that have been in place for some time are also not

being utilised.

Shadow Territory Families Minister Josh Burgoyne. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“(Does) the fact these beds are not being used mean every single youth out on the street late at night has a safe place to sleep, despite many NGO’s arguing otherwise?”

Police Minister Brent Potter denied that the new youth justice facilities were existing services rebadged, but admitted bail accommodation had been “undersubscribed”.

Under the current model young people must voluntarily agree to be bailed to Saltbush.

Mr Potter said the government’s new facilities looked at “the whole spectrum”, including early intervention, bail assisted accommodation, alternative remand options and alternative sentencing options.

“At the moment those two facilities (Saltbush Darwin and Alice Springs) are only being used as bail assisted accommodation and they were undersubscribed,” he said.

Mr Burgoyne said there were fears two dozen people could be out of a job after Saltbush lost its Darwin contract.

Territory Families Minister Ngaree Ah Kit said the decision to swap providers was based on a competitive tender process and Saltbush was helping facilitate “a smooth transition”.

“Contracts are fully competitive merit based processes, there’s a panel process and on this occasion Saltbush was not the successful applicant in Darwin,” she said.

NTCOSS said youth homelessness accommodation in Alice Springs was stretched thin.

NT Council of Social Services Youth Voice worker Steph Burgess said it was positive no young people found breaching curfew had been taken to supported accommodation.

“The safe place is only there if young people picked up during the curfew can’t be taken back to family, so if there’s no-one at the safe place that’s a good thing,” she said.

Ms Burgess said accommodation services for youth homelessness were “stretched thin”.

“There’s only one youth crisis accommodation service in Alice Springs and it’s really tough to get into,” she said.

“We’re in a housing crisis, from short-term crisis accommodation, to medium to long-term housing, there’s definitely not enough.”

A Territory Families spokeswoman said use of Saltbush bail accommodation varied month to month and was expected to increase in the future.

“Young people enter the facility as a result of a court order or police referral,” she said.

“In more recent times Saltbush, as a valued partner, has been working with us to diversify their model which will include delivery of the recently announced residential youth justice facilities, which provides additional pathways for young people to enter Saltbush and is likely to result in increased utilisation into the future.”