Urgent review needed after Detention Centre allegations

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said he was shocked at reports of staff being seriously injured at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre.

THE Department of Youth Justice needs to undertake an urgent review of operations at Cleveland Youth Detention Centre to better protect staff being abused, says Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto.

Mr Dametto said he was shocked by allegations made in media today that family members of officers injured by inmates at the Centre were being called to collect them in order to avoid an ambulance being called.

“It sickens me to hear of accounts that officers are allegedly being refused proper medical treatment after being assaulted by inmates. If the claims are true, Youth Minister Di Farmer should order an urgent review of this situation before we have a potential tragedy on our hands. Staff should be treated far better than this,” Mr Dametto said.

“Last week, I warned that centre staff being called away to assist in Brisbane could see another riot break out at Cleveland due to it being left undermanned. At the current rate of assaults by inmates on staff, I think we are dangerously close to that happening.

“The whole place is a ticking time bomb.”

Mr Dametto said Katter’s Australian Party’s relocation sentencing policy, which would send hardcore recidivist offenders to a remote property at Lake Julius west of Mt Isa, would “instil discipline and respect in inmates in order to avoid debacles like Cleveland”.

“When you’re out on the land doing six to 12 months of hard labour, there won’t be any time to get up to mischief,” he said.

“Labor’s youth crime policy is a trainwreck and the people of Townsville are left with the mess. Property owners, businesses and residents are among those left to battle juvenile offenders as they run riot in our streets every night.

“Katter’s Australian Party has a real solution when it comes to tackling the North’s youth crime crisis. The Brisbane major parties have failed over the past 20 years to fix this escalating problem.”