Revealed: Seventeen Ashley Youth Detention Centre staff suspended over child sex abuse claims

Seventeen staff at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre are currently suspended after being accused of child sexual abuse – with some the subject of multiple investigations, it has been revealed.

Ashley Youth Detention Centre. Picture: Chris Kidd

Seventeen staff at the Ashley Youth Detention Centre are currently suspended after being accused of child sexual abuse – with some the subject of multiple investigations, it has been revealed.

A government response to a question on notice from independent MLC for Nelson Meg Webb revealed for the first time the number of those accused at the Deloraine youth justice facility which was a particular focus of the Commission of Inquiry.

Signed by Premier Jeremy Rockliff, the document reveals revealed six of those accused have so far been cleared, although five were stood down again after new investigations were launched.

“Since November 2020 and as at 20 June 2024, a total of 17 employees have been stood down (with formal suspension following) pending investigation of allegations of historical child sexual abuse alleged to have occurred whilst they were employed at Ashley Youth Detention Centre,” the response said.

“As at 20 June 2024, a total of six employees have been found to have not breached the State Service Code of Conduct following the outcome of an Employment Direction No. 5 (ED5) investigation.

“However, five of these employees are subject to new ED5 investigations and are suspended from duty.

“Of the 17 employees, two resigned prior to the completion of an investigation. None of these employees are currently in the workplace at AYDC.”

In June, the state government agreed to pay $75m to 129 former detainees to settle a class action over abuse they had suffered at Ashley in the decades since 1960.

Independent MLC for Nelson Meg Webb speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart.

In 2021, the government pledged to close the Centre by the end of 2024, but it continues to operate.

Ms Webb said the numbers released by the government raised additional questions.

“Today we learned that between November 2020 and 20 June this year, 17 AYDC staff have been suspended due to child sex abuse allegations, with two resigning prior to completion of an investigation,” she said.

“Further, we finally received confirmation of the long-feared concern that at least five AYDC staff who had been found to not be in breach of the State Service Code, have since been stood down again due to further allegations.

“This confirmation of reinvestigated AYDC staff raises serious questions regarding the rigour, adequacy and appropriateness of internal State Service Code of Conduct ED5 investigations.

“It also begs the question as to why these details are not clearly disclosed in the government’s routine disclosures detailing State servant suspensions due to child sexual abuse allegations.

“Further, by these numbers, it appears there is still another nine AYDC staff whose ED5 investigations are ongoing, which raises questions regarding the timeliness of these processes.”

An Auditor General’s report tabled in state parliament on Tuesday found the management of Ashley was keeping sentenced detainees in custody for the right amount of time.

But the it noted outdated training materials and work instructions; outdated or undocumented policies, procedures and guidelines; inconsistent methods for recording the actual release date and an over-reliance on paper files and manual processes.

It contained five recommendations including an urgent update to policies, procedures and guidance that relate to the admission and release of young people.