Newsroom

February 3, 2022

Katter’s Australian Party Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto MP has today requested that the Queensland Parliament’s Legal Affairs and Safety Committee conduct an investigation into explosive allegations of misconduct, bullying and violence at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre (CYDC) in Townsville.

An increasing number of ‘whistle blowers’, mostly current or previous employees at the centre who have asked to remain anonymous, have come forward in recent days detailing sickening attacks, dangerous and highly volatile working conditions and a culture of secrecy that had seen many of the worst incidents swept under the rug.[1]

Mr Dametto said the situation at Cleveland had become like a ‘pressure cooker’.

He said every worker in Queensland had the right to work in a safe work environment, and that the State Government was failing to provide this to its youth detention workers.

“There have been alarming allegations of atrocious working conditions within the walls of the ‘green fence’ out there at the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre,” he said.

“The most recent incident was a female worker who was attached with a small shiv and then had her keys stolen, leading to a mini riot just yesterday.

“Staff members are claiming en masse that they are being left to fend for themselves and that the current policies and laws are doing very little to protect workers or deliver genuine consequences to the youth offenders who attack them.

“We aren’t talking about kids who have stolen a Kit Kat here - these are murderers, rapists and children who have committed multiple vehicle thefts or break-and-enters.

“These are hardened criminals, some even 18 years of age who have been in the system since they were 12, who know the law and their rights inside-and-out and they understand very well that currently they have more rights than the detention centre staff.

“These workers have very limited tools and resources when controlling children in detention, some are petrified of what the repercussions will be if they defend themselves in a way that does not constitute an approved hold or restraint.

“Guards and social workers are burdened with the fear of physical abuse and possible legal consequences if they do anything to physically push back.”

Mr Dametto said he, and the KAP team, had appealed for intervention from the Premier, Police Minister and Youth Justice Minister but their pleas constantly fell on deaf years.

“The State Government needs to accept that they have a problem at Cleveland, and with youth justice in general,” he said.

“Until they acknowledge this, there is absolutely no hope for workers’ conditions to change in Queensland detention centres.

“This speaks to the exact reason why the KAP has fully backed calls by the Opposition and other crossbenchers for a Commission of Inquiry into the whole-of-government and its departments.

“I share the concerns of the staff members at Cleveland.

“My gravest concern is someone is going to lose their life if the State Government doesn’t pull its head out of the sand and start to fix the fundamental problems within the youth justice system.

“There needs to be a power shift to restore the balance within our detention centres; guards and social workers need to be empowered to do their jobs.

“We must remember these children are incarcerated for good reason and just like adult offenders, they have foregone some of their rights as a result of their criminal actions.”

Mr Dametto has today written to the LACS Chair Peter Russo MP appealing for the committee to consider the inquiry.