Mr BARRETT - 2014-08-26
Late last week there was a serious incident at the Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre. Can you please inform the House about the steps taken to ensure a similar situation cannot occur in the future?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. In answering this question, it gives me an opportunity to reply to the question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, where he asserted Don Dale was in a state of calamitous disrepair, or words to that effect. That is the legacy he left behind.
During the last budget process, I discovered some of the problems with the Don Dale centre, so we made arrangements to make certain there would be money in the budget to bring juvenile detention facilities in the Northern Territory up to a standard where the people of the Northern Territory are protected.
This was a calamitous failure on the part of the Labor Party and the members opposite, and continues to be so ...
Ms Fyles: Tear gas on children.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Nightcliff that we used tear gas on children. Yes, we did. Do you know why? Because these children were arming themselves with steel bars they were able to prise off the walls, and they were able to get out of a cell and arm themselves with broken glass, all because of 11 years of Labor neglect.
As far as we are concerned, when our staff are being threatened by people – juveniles or not – armed with steel bars and broken glass, we will take what steps are necessary to subdue them. I make no apologies for the steps that were taken. I congratulate the staff and support them in the decision to use reasonable force to protect themselves and the people of the Northern Territory.
It is a sad fact that these kids are out of control. They are out of control for any number of reasons. Nevertheless, when they pose a real threat to staff, appropriate action must be taken. I realise the members opposite seem to think the only way to deal with these kids is to give them a firm cuddle and run your fingers through their hair. But when they are threatening staff with weapons, we will take necessary steps to protect our people. We will take appropriate steps to be appropriately tough on crime.
The use of gas was over in four minutes. The kids were decontaminated very quickly. I congratulate again, and place my support behind, the staff who made this decision. The staff worked hard, Fluffy the Alsatian worked hard and, as far as we are concerned, it was a problem that was solved quickly.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Blain for his question. In answering this question, it gives me an opportunity to reply to the question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, where he asserted Don Dale was in a state of calamitous disrepair, or words to that effect. That is the legacy he left behind.
During the last budget process, I discovered some of the problems with the Don Dale centre, so we made arrangements to make certain there would be money in the budget to bring juvenile detention facilities in the Northern Territory up to a standard where the people of the Northern Territory are protected.
This was a calamitous failure on the part of the Labor Party and the members opposite, and continues to be so ...
Ms Fyles: Tear gas on children.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr ELFERINK: I pick up on the interjection from the member for Nightcliff that we used tear gas on children. Yes, we did. Do you know why? Because these children were arming themselves with steel bars they were able to prise off the walls, and they were able to get out of a cell and arm themselves with broken glass, all because of 11 years of Labor neglect.
As far as we are concerned, when our staff are being threatened by people – juveniles or not – armed with steel bars and broken glass, we will take what steps are necessary to subdue them. I make no apologies for the steps that were taken. I congratulate the staff and support them in the decision to use reasonable force to protect themselves and the people of the Northern Territory.
It is a sad fact that these kids are out of control. They are out of control for any number of reasons. Nevertheless, when they pose a real threat to staff, appropriate action must be taken. I realise the members opposite seem to think the only way to deal with these kids is to give them a firm cuddle and run your fingers through their hair. But when they are threatening staff with weapons, we will take necessary steps to protect our people. We will take appropriate steps to be appropriately tough on crime.
The use of gas was over in four minutes. The kids were decontaminated very quickly. I congratulate again, and place my support behind, the staff who made this decision. The staff worked hard, Fluffy the Alsatian worked hard and, as far as we are concerned, it was a problem that was solved quickly.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016