Ashley to close as soon as possible, minister says 1000 days since Premiers’ announcement

The Liberal Party promised to close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre 1000 days ago. The minister responsible has provided an update on how that’s going.

Ashley Youth Detention Centre near Westbury in northern Tasmania.

The troubled Ashley Youth Detention Centre will close “as soon as possible” Minister for Children and Youth Roger Jaensch said on the thousand-day anniversary of the Liberal government’s announcement it would be shut down.

Ashley has been plagued by repeated testimony about physical and sexual violence against detainees as part of a pattern of human rights violations for decades.

Then Premier Peter Gutwein said Ashley would shut within three years after hearing the graphic account of a staffer-turned-whistleblower in September 2021.

Premier Peter Gutwein. Announcement by the Premier Peter Gutwein and Minister for Children and Youth Sarah Courtney that Ashley Youth Detention Centre will be closed. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“It is time for a major systemic change in our youth justice system, with the need for a holistic approach that gives our young people a far better chance of gaining the support they need so that they are in a better position to rehabilitate and to live better and more productive lives,” he said at the time.

Mr Jaensch on Wednesday said the timeline remained “as soon as possible”.

“We’re working to prepare the site at Pontville that we’ve chosen for a new detention facility,” he said.

“But we’re also working on the plan for the facility that will go on that site, it’s going to be very, very different to the existing Ashley Youth Detention Centre, far, smaller, more like a home rather than an institution or a prison for a smaller number of young people who are all sentenced to detention.

Minister Roger Jaensch MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

“So this is not just about a new building, or closing an old building.

“It’s a redesign of the whole service, which should, which should result in far fewer young people being in detention, far fewer crimes happening in the community because of our investment in a therapeutic approach that prevents reoffending.”

Whistleblower Alysha was the one who met Premier Peter Gutwein — and gave evidence to the Commission of Inquiry about Ashley.

“It’s now been 1000 days since that meeting, during which the Premier asked his assistant to clear his next two meetings, with the now retired Deputy Solicitor General scribbling notes furiously as I spoke,” she said.

“Less than 24 hours later, Premier Gutwein announced the closure of the Centre.

“Ashley is as dangerous as ever, full of children as a result of the same Government’s wildly publicised ‘targeting’ of youth offenders. The abuse at AYDC is ongoing.

“The now Rockliff government’s promise to close Ashley being unfulfilled despite the Commission of Inquiry stating the risk is current and that it needs to be urgently closed, with Tasmania’s first class action entering negotiations this month — is unfathomably cruel and negligent.”

Whistleblower Alysha. Picture: Richard Jupe

“My heart breaks for the scared children locked in there right now, knowing it is unsafe.”

Greens spokeswoman Cecily Rosol said Ashley’s closure was long overdue.

“When Peter Gutwein announced the centre would be closed it was a momentous day but ever since he retired, we’ve seen the Liberals dragging their feet on making this announcement a reality,” she said.

“The Commission of Inquiry believed that closing Ashley was so urgent that they wrapped up their work early to make sure it happened.

“Rather than taking steps to reduce the number of children at Ashley, the Liberals are locking up more children.

“They are causing more harm, making children less safe, and pushing out the time frame for the facility to close. It’s unacceptable.”