The chair of Tasmanian Prisoners Legal Service Greg Barns said that Ashley Youth Detention Centre should be closed, following right to information documents revealed on Saturday in The Examiner.
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Mr Barns said that Ashley would be "the next Don Dale".
"Young people and their rights are placed well behind the fact that government isn't prepared to close the centre because it provides jobs for a few people in Deloraine," he said.
"It's out in the middle of nowhere, out of sight and out of mind. God knows what goes on there every day.
"It serves no purpose other than being a warehouse for young people before they graduate to [adult] Risdon Prison."
RELATED COVERAGE:
- FROM May Tasmania has the lowest rate of youth detention in country
- FROM 2018 $2570-a-day cost for Ashley Youth Detention Centre detainee
- FROM 2018 Liberals will keep Ashley open to support region's economy
- FROM 2018: Report on Government Services recommends closing Ashley
- FROM 2017 Assault charges against Ashley Youth Detention Centre worker dismissed
An internal report, Custodial Youth Justice Organisational Change Program, as well as minutes from the Ashley+ Approach Working Group meetings, were made public through Friday's right to information release.
They revealed that programs at Ashley were not designed for young people that have developmental delays or a history of complex trauma; that children addicted to smoking were not given access to nicotine patches; that there were no consequences for children assaulting staff; and that attempts to reform the centre consisted of "tinkering around the edges".
Human Services Minister Roger Jaensch said the government was committed to investing in a major redesign and upgrade of the facility.
The $7.3 million upgrade for Ashley was announced in June last year, the same time the Ashley+ Approach Working Group was made known.