Minister for Human Services Jacquie Petrusma says a re-elected majority Hodgman Liberal Government will keep the Ashley Youth Detention Centre open on its current site.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
She said the government wold invest $7.28 million into a major redesign and upgrade of the facility and aim to continue to improve its model of care.
She said the government would ignore recommendations from the noetic report to have two separate secure youth detention sites in the north and south of the state.
“I want to be clear that while Noetic’s preferred option was the construction of two purpose built detention facilities in Hobart and in Launceston, we have decided to reject that in favour of the major redesign and upgrade of AYDC option,” Minister Petrusma said.
“In making this decision, we have sought to balance the needs of youth offenders with the importance of the AYDC facility and its 60 jobs to the Deloraine community.”
She said closing the Ashley Detention Centre would destroy Deloraine’s economy and over the past year there had been a big focus in making Ashley more of a rehabilitative site and there were plans to expand drug and alcohol services and education programs.
Minister Petrusma said it would cost $36 million and part of the money would be spent utilising land around the centre for vocational purposes.
Part of the decision to not shut Ashley was due to its value to the Deloraine community.
A re-elected Hodgman Liberal Government would also undertake further investigation into other options raised in the Noetic report, including:
- the introduction of bail support programs, including accommodation support such as secure welfare options, to reduce reoffending while on bail, allowing low-risk offenders to remain in the community; and
- expanding sentencing options to include a remand order for young people to have residential drug or mental health treatment for a mandated period.