Page 34 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 15 February 2011
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We have an increased number of residents. We have moved from an average of 20 residents. Actually we have moved over the life of Bimberi to have an average of 12, moving up to the 20s. Last week, it is my understanding that there were 30 young people in Bimberi. That has a ripple effect on the number of staff that need to come on board. We have recruited; the staff came on in December. There are more staff coming on or who are undertaking an induction course. They will start in March as well. My understanding is that there are a number of staff who have previously worked at Bimberi and who have reapplied or may have had conversations with management about reapplying to come back to work in Bimberi.
It is not ideal to have MSS staff, I agree with you. We should have youth workers there that are trained. It is my understanding that increasingly they are enrolled in either diploma or cert IV in youth work at CIT. But it may just be circumstances that at times we do use MSS staff. It is my view that they should be maintained as a back-of-house and should not have direct contact with young residents there because that is the domain for trained youth workers. And that is our intent.
But should circumstances demand that MSS are needed for security, to ensure security, protection and safety of staff there, then that could just be an element of the workforce that we require.
MS HUNTER: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Hunter.
MS HUNTER: Minister, given that during briefings with the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services I was assured that when private security guards were being used they would have no contact with young people—
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter—
MS HUNTER: Sorry?
MR SPEAKER: Preamble.
MS HUNTER: Minister, how was a private security guard in a position to be assaulted within Bimberi?
MS BURCH: That is certainly our view and policy. That is part of the two operational reviews I have instigated over this incident, one to look at security and one to look at operational matters: were indeed all staff at the time following our understood protocols and practices? But how did MSS staff come to be assaulted by young residents? The young residents were in a place that they should not have been, absolutely, and MSS staff were doing routine rounds, for want of a better word, on the unit. That is when the assault happened. It is a disturbing incident on a number of levels, which is why I am looking at security and operational and just making sure that, if we do have an understanding of policies and procedures in place, they are invoked and understood not only by the Bimberi permanent staff, the youth workers there, but by MSS officers as well.
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