Page 5988 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 8 December 2010
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also about the whole community youth justice system. It also broadens the matters to be inquired into, so we look at the use of segregation and restraints on detainees, programs for education and training, health and wellbeing and rehabilitation, early intervention services, the effectiveness of diversionary strategies and the ongoing monitoring of recidivism, particularly for detainees held in remand. Through-care and after-care services provided to detainees and community youth justice clients were added in, because I felt that it was important that we ensure a whole range of issues are looked at if there is going to be an inquiry.
The other thing I have put into these amendments is that the inquiry is to be conducted by the Children and Young People Commissioner, who would be looking into the youth justice system, taking in the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and community youth justice. It also calls on the minister responsible, who is the Attorney-General under the Human Rights Act, to direct the human rights commissioner to undertake a comprehensive human rights audit into conditions of detention in the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. Both of these inquiries—that by the Children and Young People Commissioner and the human rights commissioner—are to report back to this Assembly by 30 June 2011.
I note the recent announcement by the minister to employ Daniel O’Neill to work on developing the internal support systems for young people within Bimberi. This measure is about the further professional development of staff. It is a welcome move and is complementary to the inquiry I have outlined in the amendments to Mrs Dunne’s motion.
We need to ensure that theory and practice come together and provide opportunities for reflection, because a reflective practice allows for constant quality improvement. That is what we really need to have in a place that is a closed community. It is important that we ensure that the best possible practice is being employed by workers at Bimberi and, in fact, right across the community youth justice system.
I have been quite alarmed and very concerned about the allegations that we heard in Mrs Dunne’s speech this morning, and I have received them myself. I am also concerned that we have heard about an alleged assault done by a worker at Bimberi on a young detainee. It concerns me, obviously, that this even took place, but what also concerns me is that all people who work within Bimberi are mandatory reporters under the Children and Young People Act. The teachers, the administrative staff and all workers are mandatory reporters. It appears that a number of other people who work in that facility were aware of this situation. That certainly seems to be part of the allegation. I find it very, very disturbing that nobody understood their obligations under the Children and Young People Act to mandatorily report an assault on a young person. So there are a number of things that need to be looked into in this inquiry.
I know that there were some concerns from Mrs Dunne about the nature of the Children and Young People Commissioner undertaking this under the Human Rights Act. I believe this is a good way to go to start the investigations into all of this. Under that act, there will be protection for those people who want to come forward. I know from people who have spoken to me that that has been a primary concern. Those workers, or whoever they are, who want to come forward and to share their
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