Ms WALKER - 2011-03-31
In January, the Attorney-General and the Minister for Central Australia announced a package of Justice and Police initiatives to make Alice Springs streets safer. Can you please update the House on the work of Corrections in delivering these initiatives?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be a part of the raft of these initiatives that will deliver real change, especially in Central Australia. The initiatives relate to children at risk; juveniles; rehabilitation, including alcohol and other drugs; police; dysfunctional families; and education and attendance of children.
My part in this has been the establishment of a juvenile detention centre at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre precinct. That means the government is very aware of the needs of these juveniles. We have set up a new juvenile detention centre in Central Australia in the Alice Springs Correctional Centre precinct. I visited it today during my luncheon break. I stood side by side with the staff there - the juvenile detention officers, the youth workers, the case manager, the teachers, the Aboriginal and Islander Education Worker, a representative from Centralian College – all now focused on dealing with the juveniles as soon as they come into contact with the justice system. I was proud to sit at a table and have my conversation about: what it is, what they are here for, what has happened, but, more importantly, what they are going to do about it, and what is their plan for return to the community.
The education unit - and I compliment the minister for Education - wonderful people there today. I said I would be coming to talk to you, minister, about the Owen Springs School operated by the Department of Education and Training. That is running programs similar to the Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre. For the public here today, and anyone else listening, the centre opened on Monday with seven detainees. We have a capacity for 16 detainees and we can increase that capacity. It represents another raft in the new era of Corrections. I am very proud to say that this government has taken on a huge policy bite with the new era in Corrections. This goes right down the line, not only to custodial, but also to Community Corrections. We are about making real change.
I have not heard anything from the others this week. I have not heard anything at all, but I am aware of the incredible work that government has been putting in, initiated in January in response to this Central Australian community. I count myself as part of that community. I am from Tennant Creek and we share similar challenges. We are about making a difference. The others on the other side have been very aggressive this week. They have been very critical, but no policies. I encourage them to take an interest in what we are doing in the new era. I encourage them to take an interest in this new juvenile detention centre …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be a part of the raft of these initiatives that will deliver real change, especially in Central Australia. The initiatives relate to children at risk; juveniles; rehabilitation, including alcohol and other drugs; police; dysfunctional families; and education and attendance of children.
My part in this has been the establishment of a juvenile detention centre at the Alice Springs Correctional Centre precinct. That means the government is very aware of the needs of these juveniles. We have set up a new juvenile detention centre in Central Australia in the Alice Springs Correctional Centre precinct. I visited it today during my luncheon break. I stood side by side with the staff there - the juvenile detention officers, the youth workers, the case manager, the teachers, the Aboriginal and Islander Education Worker, a representative from Centralian College – all now focused on dealing with the juveniles as soon as they come into contact with the justice system. I was proud to sit at a table and have my conversation about: what it is, what they are here for, what has happened, but, more importantly, what they are going to do about it, and what is their plan for return to the community.
The education unit - and I compliment the minister for Education - wonderful people there today. I said I would be coming to talk to you, minister, about the Owen Springs School operated by the Department of Education and Training. That is running programs similar to the Don Dale Juvenile Detention Centre. For the public here today, and anyone else listening, the centre opened on Monday with seven detainees. We have a capacity for 16 detainees and we can increase that capacity. It represents another raft in the new era of Corrections. I am very proud to say that this government has taken on a huge policy bite with the new era in Corrections. This goes right down the line, not only to custodial, but also to Community Corrections. We are about making real change.
I have not heard anything from the others this week. I have not heard anything at all, but I am aware of the incredible work that government has been putting in, initiated in January in response to this Central Australian community. I count myself as part of that community. I am from Tennant Creek and we share similar challenges. We are about making a difference. The others on the other side have been very aggressive this week. They have been very critical, but no policies. I encourage them to take an interest in what we are doing in the new era. I encourage them to take an interest in this new juvenile detention centre …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016